Stork's research has involved the organic synthesis of complex molecules. "This part of chemical science is more closely related to architecture than it is to physics or mathematics," he says. "What we deal with is really structure, often in three dimensions."
Stork, 71, introduced methods related to chemoselectivity, or how to get a reaction to take place at the site of one particular functional group of molecules.
"Putting together a building is more than just assembling the right number of windows, bricks, and doors," he says. "Clearly, they have to be put in the right place to have the entire operation function."
He says that, throughout the years, his lab has dealt with two problems of selectivity. The first, he says, is regioselectivity- -exploring the question of "Can you get the reaction where you want it?" The second problem is getting the reaction to occur not only in the right ...
