| Citation | Nicolaou is distinguished for his many original and outstanding achievements in the total synthesis of structurally complex and biologically important natural products, e.g. the anticancer drug Taxol,
amphotericin B, calicheamycin, brevetoxin A, epothilone B, CP molecules, vancomycin, rapamycin, everninomicin, azaspiracid-1, sporolide B, and thiostrepton, amongst others. His accomplishments have brought this area of synthesis to new levels of molecular complexity and diversity. They have also impacted decisively and helped shape the frontiers of chemistry, biology and medicine. Nicolaou has also published the popular books 'Classics in Total Synthesis', and 'Molecules that Changed the World', which have been an inspiration to young and old synthetic chemists, worldwide. |