2021年经济学人 2021诺贝尔奖(2)

The chemistry prize was shared by Benjamin List, of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, in Mülheim an der Ruhr, and David MacMillan, of Princeton University.

诺贝尔化学奖由位于鲁尔河畔米尔海姆州马克斯·普朗克煤炭研究所的本杰明·利斯特和普林斯顿大学的大卫·麦克米伦共享。

Their prizewinning work, published in 2000, was conducted independently, and unknown to each other at the time, but with the same end in mind. This was to break the stranglehold of enzymes² and transition metals on the field of catalysis.

他们的获奖作品发表于2000年，是独立进行的，当时彼此都不知情，但目的是一致的——为了打破酶和过渡金属在催化领域的束缚。

Some chemical reactions proceed with alacrity³. Most, though—including many that are industrially important—need a helping⁴ hand in the form of a catalyst⁵.

有些化学反应进行得很快。然而，大多数企业，包括许多在工业领域具有重要地位的企业需要催化剂的帮助。

Evolution has provided a goodly range of these in the form of enzymes, which are large, complicated and sometimes temperamental protein molecules⁷, but which have the advantage that they can create pure versions of what are known as optical isomers.

进化以酶的形式提供了大量的这类物质，这些酶是大型的、复杂的、有时还会变化无常的蛋白质分子，但它们的优点是可以产生被称为光学异构体的纯净版本。

These are molecules that have two forms which are mirror images of each other. This is important in the drug industry, for the different versions, known as enantiomers, can have different effects in the body.

这些分子有两种形式且互为镜像。这在制药行业很重要，因为不同对映体，对人体会产生不同的作用。

Also, if you choose the right enzymes, it is often possible to carry out multi-step reactions in only a few stages.

此外，如果你选择了正确的酶，通常只需几个阶段就可以进行多步反应。

Transition metals are those in the middle of the periodic table—copper, nickel and iron, for example.

过渡金属是那些位于元素周期表中间的金属，例如铜、镍和铁。

The structures of the electron shells surrounding the nuclei⁸ of their atoms are complicated, meaning they are chemically versatile⁹. This is what makes them good catalysts¹⁰.

它们原子核周围的电子壳层的结构很复杂，这意味着它们具有多种化学用途。这就是它们成为良好催化剂的原因。

Some transition-metal catalysts are the metals themselves. More often, they are small molecules that include a transition-metal atom.

一些过渡金属催化剂本身就是金属。更常见的是，它们是包含过渡金属原子的小分子。

Transition-metal catalysts can be easier to handle than enzymes, but usually fail to distinguish between enantiomers.

过渡金属催化剂可能比酶更容易操作，但通常无法区分对映体。

Also, transition-metal compounds are frequently toxic¹¹, with all the environmental consequences that entails¹². And multi-step reactions involving them can be long-winded.

此外，过渡金属化合物通常是有毒的，因此会对环境带来不良影响，而且涉及到它们的多步骤反应可能是冗长的。

Dr List and Dr MacMillan found a way to have the best of both worlds: small-molecule⁶ catalysts that have no metal atoms in them, can turn out pure enantiomers, and often simplify multi-step reactions. That has significant industrial implications.

利斯特博士和麦克米伦博士找到了一种两全其美的方法：不含金属原子的小分子催化剂，可以生成纯净的对映体，而且通常会简化多步反应。这具有重大的工业意义。

Dr List worked on an enzyme¹ called aldolase A. This catalyses what is known as the aldol reaction, an important way of forging molecular¹³ bonds between carbon atoms.

利斯特博士研究了一种名为醛缩酶A的酶，这种酶催化所谓的醛缩反应，这是一种在碳原子之间形成分子键的重要方式。

Aldolase A is made of 350 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, but the bit that does the work consists of only three of these: lysine, glutamic acid and tyrosine. The rest of the enzyme is packaging.

醛缩酶A由350种氨基酸组成，这些氨基酸是蛋白质的组成成分，但起作用的部分只有三个：赖氨酸、谷氨酸和酪氨酸。剩下的酶是包装的。

He therefore wondered if he could isolate¹⁴ the enzyme’s active centre and yet preserve its activity. In fact, he did better.

因此，他想知道他是否能分离出这种酶的活性中心，同时又能保持它的活性。事实上，他做得比想象中更好。

He showed that the aldol reaction can be catalysed by a single amino acid, proline. And, crucially, this retains the enantiomeric purity of the enzyme-mediated reaction.

他证明了羟醛缩化反应可以被一种氨基酸--脯氨酸催化。最重要的是，这保留了酶介导反应的对映体纯度。

Dr MacMillan came from the other end of the problem. He wanted to remove the metal (in this case copper) from the catalyst involved in a different process, the Diels–Alder reaction.

麦克米伦博士来自问题的另一端。他想从另一个过程——狄尔斯-阿尔德反应（Diels-Alder reaction）中的催化剂中去除金属（在这种情况下是铜）。

This is a way of joining two molecules into a six-carbon ring. One of the reagents contributes four carbon atoms to the ring and the other contributes two.

这是一种将两个分子连接成六碳环的方法。其中一种试剂为环贡献了四个碳原子，另一种试剂则贡献了两个碳原子。

Six-carbon rings are ubiquitous in organic chemistry, and by putting different side groups onto the reagents a vast variety of them can be turned out.

六碳环在有机化学中普遍存在，通过在试剂上加入不同的侧基，可以产生多种六碳环。

Dr MacMillan found he could catalyse Diels-Alder reactions using a type of metal-free molecule called an imidazolidinone to activate¹⁵ the two-carbon component¹⁶, meaning that it combines enthusiastically with its four-carbon compadre.

麦克米伦博士发现，他可以使用一种名为咪唑烷酮的无金属分子来催化狄尔斯-阿尔德反应，以激活双碳成分，这意味着它可以与其四碳化合物结合。

The result of these two pieces of work is a field called asymmetric¹⁷ organocatalysis (the asymmetric part of the name referring to its ability to generate pure enantiomers), that is now rippling¹⁸ through industrial chemistry.

这两项工作的结果是一个被称为不对称有机催化的领域（这个名称的不对称部分指的是它产生纯对映体的能力）现在正席卷工业化学界。

And, since industrial chemistry, in one form or another, underpins¹⁹ most economic activity, it is also rippling, however invisibly, through life.

而且，由于工业化学以这样或那样的形式支撑着大多数经济活动，所以也以看不见的方式影响着人们的生活。

1 enzyme   

n.酵素，酶

参考例句：

• Above a certain temperature,the enzyme molecule will become unfolded.超过一定温度，酶分子将会展开。
• An enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots.能溶解血凝块中的纤维的酶。

2 enzymes   

n. 酶，酵素

参考例句：

• It was said that washing powders containing enzymes remove stains more efficiently. 据说加酶洗衣粉除污更有效。
• Among the enzymes which are particularly effective are pepsin, papain. 在酶当中特别有效的是胃朊酶、木瓜酶。

3 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

6 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

7 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

8 nuclei   

n.核

参考例句：

• To free electrons, something has to make them whirl fast enough to break away from their nuclei. 为了释放电子，必须使电子高速旋转而足以摆脱原子核的束缚。
• Energy is released by the fission of atomic nuclei. 能量是由原子核分裂释放出来的。

9 versatile   

adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的

参考例句：

• A versatile person is often good at a number of different things.多才多艺的人通常擅长许多种不同的事情。
• He had been one of the game's most versatile athletes.他是这项运动中技术最全面的运动员之一。

10 catalysts   

n.催化剂( catalyst的名词复数 )；触媒；促进因素；有感染力的人

参考例句：

• The first catalytic converters were called conventional oxidation catalysts. 最初的转化器叫做常规氧化催化器。 来自辞典例句
• Many processes that are essential to the chemical industry use heterogeneous catalysts. 很多重要的化学工业过程就是使用多相催化剂的。 来自辞典例句

11 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

12 entails   

使…成为必要( entail的第三人称单数 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需

参考例句：

• The job entails a lot of hard work. 这工作需要十分艰苦的努力。
• This job entails a lot of hard work. 这项工作需要十分努力。

13 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

14 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

15 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

16 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

17 asymmetric   

a.不对称的

参考例句：

• Most people's faces are asymmetric. 大多数人的脸不对称。
• We have made no reference to asymmetric carbon atoms. 我们未曾涉及不对称碳原子。

18 rippling   

起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的

参考例句：

• I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
• The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

19 underpins   

n.基础材料( underpin的名词复数 )；基础结构；（学说、理论等的）基础；（人的）腿v.用砖石结构等从下面支撑（墙等）( underpin的第三人称单数 )；加固（墙等）的基础；为（论据、主张等）打下基础；加强

参考例句：

• A powerful sense of mission underpins everything he does. 一种强烈的使命感支撑他所做的一切。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His presence at the crime underpins the case against him. 案子发生时他在场对他更不利。 来自辞典例句