Research

Research Priorities: Supramolecular chemistry, cryptands, cage molecules, ion confinement, self-organisation of matter, adaptive chemistry, artificial photosynthesis

Jean-Marie Lehn is one of the pioneers of “supramolecular chemistry” and described the substance class of cryptands for the first time. In 1987 he and the two US-American chemists Donald Cram and Charles Pedersen were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the “development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity”. The scientists provided essential insights into the transport of ions through cell membranes.

Supramolecular chemistry explores the self-organisation of matter. It concerns intermolecular bonds and the new properties that result from these bonds. Two or more chemical species arrange themselves into a supermolecule through intermolecular interactions. Naturally occurring molecules can take up sodium or potassium ions for example and channel them through biological membranes. The ion inclusion gives the molecule other properties. The field of research is also referred to as host-guest chemistry because it relates to molecular constructions which host molecular guests.

The cryptands developed by Jean-Marie Lehn, organic cage molecules, can form two or more rings and store cations in these cavities. The complexes are readily soluble in water and polar solvents and almost insoluble in non-polar organic solvents. In the chemical industry the compounds are used as transport vehicles and ion exchangers.

In his further career, Jean-Marie Lehn researched the self-organisation and self-recognition of molecular systems at the interface between chemistry and biology, and also the path towards adaptive chemistry. He worked on artificial photosynthesis and the conversion of light into chemical or electrical energy and the storage of solar energy.

Career

• Director, Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
• Director, Laboratory of Supramolecular Chemistry, ISIS, Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France
• Director, Chemistry Laboratory of Molecular Interactions, Collège de France, Paris, France
• 2005 Adjunct Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand
• 2000-2004 Director, ISIS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
• 1999-2000 Newton Abraham Professor, Lincoln College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• since 1998 Director, Nanotechnology Institute, University of Karlsruhe (since 2009: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
• 1997, 2000 Robert Burns Woodward Visiting Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
• 1989 Heinrich Hertz Visiting Professor, University of Karlsruhe (since 2009: KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
• 1985-1986 Rolf Sammet Visiting Professor, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• 1985 Visiting Professor, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
• 1984 Alexander Todd Visiting Professor of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
• since 1979 Professor of Molecular Interactions, Collège de France, Paris, France
• 1977 Visiting Professor of Chemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
• 1972, 1974-1980, Visiting Professor of Chemistry, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
• 1970-1979 Professor of Chemistry, Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France
• 1966-1969 Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France
• 1966 Member, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France
• 1963-1964 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
• 1963 PhD, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
• 1960-1963 Study of Conformational Studies of Triperpenes, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
• 1960 Bachelor of Science, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

Functions

• since 2017 Patron, Prix Forcheurs Jean-Marie Lehn, French Embassy, Berlin, Germany
• 2010-2011 Member, Board of Directors, Sanofi-Aventis, Paris, France
• until 2009 Member, Board of Directors, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Basel, Switzerland
• 1997-1999 Member, Supervisory Board, Hoechst AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• until 1996 Member, Board of Directors, Ciba-Geigy, Basel, Switzerland
• 1992 Chairperson, Science Council, Rhône-Poulenc, Lyons, France
• Co-founder of various companies
• Member, Kuratorium, Aventis Foundation, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• Member, Advisory Board, Reliance Innovation Council, Mumbai, India
• Member, Advisory Board, Novartis Venture Fund, Basel, Switzerland

Honours and Memberships

• 2014 Grand Officier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, France
• since 2005 Honorary Member, Société Française de Chimie, France
• 2004 Médaille d’Or, Fondation de la Maison de la Chimie, Paris, France
• 2004 Grand Officer, Order of Cultural Merit of Romania, Romania
• since 2003 Honorary Member, World Innovation Foundation
• 2003 Gold Medal Giulio Natta, Italian Chemical Society, Italy
• since 2002 Honorary Member, Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ), Japan
• 2001 Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class, Austria
• 1997 Lavoisier-Médaille, Société Française de Chimie, France
• since 1997 Honorary Member, German Chemical Society (GDCh), Germany
• 1997 The Davy Medal, Royal Society, UK
• 1996 Commandeur de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, France
• since 1996 Foreign Member, Third World Academy of Sciences
• 1995 Golden Commemorative Medal, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
• 1995 Gold Medal, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
• 1995 Médaille d’Or, Société Académique Arts-Sciences-Lettres, France
• 1994 Ettore Majorana-Erice Science for Peace Prize, Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture, Erice, Italy
• 1993 Officier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite, France
• since 1993 Foreign Member, Royal Society, UK
• since 1990 Member, Orden Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, German President
• since 1990 Member, Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Göttingen, Germany
• since 1990 Associate Member, Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts, Belgium
• 1989 Karl Ziegler Prize, GDCh, Germany
• 1989 Médaille d’Or, Société d'Encouragement au Progrès, France
• 1989 Minnie Rosen Award, Ross University School of Medicine, Bridgetown, Barbados
• 1989 Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, France
• 1988 Officier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, France
• 1987 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, together with Donald Cram and Charles Pedersen, Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
• since 1987 Foreign Member, American Philosophical Society, USA
• 1987 George Kenner Prize, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
• 1986 Alsace Foundation Prize, Strasbourg, France
• since 1985 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 1983 Foreign Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Netherlands
• 1983 Humboldt Research Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn, Germany
• 1983 Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, France
• 1981 Pierre Bruylants Medal, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
• 1981 Gold Medal, CNRS, France
• 1981 Gold Medal, Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican
• since 1980 Foreign Member, National Academy of Sciences, USA
• since 1980 Foreign Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA
• 1978 Raymond Berr Prize, Chemical Society of France, France
• 1976 Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite, France
• 1972 Silver Medal, CNRS, France
• 1968 Prix Adrian, Société Chimique de France, France
• 1963 Bronze Medal, CNRS, France
• Jean-Marie Lehn holds numerous honorary doctorates and is an honorary member of other scientific associations and academies of science worldwide.