The purpose of the Prize is to recognize and encourage outstanding contributions to research in asymmetric synthetic chemistry defined in its broadest sense without regard to age or nationality.

The Prize, which consists of a certificate, a medallion, and $10,000, is bestowed every year to a recipient meeting the above mentioned criteria. The International Prize Committee selects a recipient, and the recipient shall deliver a prize lecture at the annual general meeting of SSOCJ at which the Prize will be presented.

The Winner of the Prize for the award year 2010 is Eric N. Jacobsen, Professor, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, U.S.A.

Professor Jacobsen has made many important contributions to the field of asymmetric catalysis. He discovered useful, chiral salen-based catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of simple olefins, as well as effective new catalysts for aziridnation, Diels-Alder, conjugate addition, hydrocyanation, and epoxide ring-opening reactions. He also pioneered the use of hydrogen-bonding catalysts in asymmetric synthesis. These methodologies, together with the mechanistic insights he has uncovered about them, have had a profound impact both in academia and in industry.

Announcement from The Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan (PDF)

The members of the International Prize Committee for the award year 2010:
Keisuke Suzuki (chairman)
David A. Evans
Tamio Hayashi
Tamejiro Hiyama
Tsuneo Imamoto
Henri B. Kagan
E. Peter Kundig