| Citation | Distinguished for his design and discovery of new approaches to the total synthesis of organic molecules which utilise the principles of molecular recognition and supramolecular chemistry. Stoddart moved to Sheffield University in 1970 and later embarked upon the total synthesis of potential enzyme analogues. He adopted the crown ether concept to simulate enzyme-substrate interaction and utilised natural carbohydrates as sources of chirality and functionality. These researches were recognised by the Tate and Lyle Carbohydrate Chemistry Award (Chemical Society, 1978). During secondment to the ICI Corporate Laboratory (1978-1981), Stoddart revitalised Werner's concept of second sphere coordination of transition metal cations, when he discovered that ether crown ethers or cyclodextrins could function as second sphere ligands. These developments and the separate discovery that the bipyridinium dications, paraquat and diquat, could participate in supramolecular situations provided a platform for establishing the principles of self-assembly and template-direction in organic synthesis as well as creating pointers towards the discovery of novel chemical sensors. Recent succesful application of these concepts have led to (i) the discovery of powerful methods for the synthesis of catenanes, rotaxanes, and double helicates, and (ii) the demonstration of the stereochemically-programmed construction of novel cyclacene and polyacene derivatives. These developments, described in over 200 original publications, have created in organic chemistry completely new areas for experimental enquiry and exposed the potential of substrate-directed synthesis for the elabortion of new organic materials. |