Prof. Marcin Stępień awarded the Prize by the Foundation for Polish Science
Professor Marcin Stępień from the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Wrocław was awarded the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2023 in Chemical Sciences and Material Science. He received it on the 6th ofDecember 2023 during the ceremony at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
He received the Foundation for Polish Science Prize for designing and receiving new aromatic compounds with unique structure and properties. In the second half of the XIXth century, the term ‘aromaticity’ was used for the first time in regard to organic compounds marked by multiple atypical characteristics; one of which was a strong odor.
As the winner himself explains, the term ‘aromatic compounds’ used in chemistry can be misleading for two reasons. Firstly, not every aromatic compound has an odor. Secondly, not everything which has an odor is an aromatic compound.
Examples:
– naphthalene (also called a white tar): an aromatic compound (has an odor)
– camphor: not an aromatic compound (has an odor)
– chlorophyll (a pigment responsible for photosynthesis): an aromatic compound (does not have an odor)
Aromatic compounds are characterized by so-called delocalized bonds in their molecules, which are diffused between atoms, making it impossible to distinguish which bonds are double and which are single. To make it more convenient, chemists often do not mark delocalization in aromatic molecules’ formulas (as shown in the examples above).
‘Benzene is a “model” aromatic compound; we use is as an example while teaching students about aromaticity, which is a little more complicated phenomenon than what I have described above.’ the professor explains.
Delocalized bonds (and delocalized electrons as well) are rather weakly linked with molecules, which enables them to do various interesting things. For example, they can absorb radiation, including visible light, which is the reason why most of the organic colorants are aromatic compounds (for example indigo). In our research, we focus on receiving new aromatic compounds, which structure will “break the rules”. Molecules are usually flat which can serve an example of such rule. We do it to get to know how we can control their properties with changing the structure of molecules. – the professor explains.
Once again congratulations!
Report from 32nd the Foundation for Polish Science Prize award ceremony
Film about professor Marcin Stępień:
Translated by Zuzanna Zapora (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
