Biographical Sketch

Jean-Marie LEHN was  born in Rosheim, France in 1939. He received his Doctorat-ès-Sciences in 1963 from the University of Strasbourg working in the laboratory of Guy OURISSON. The following year he joined the group of Robert Burns WOODWARD at Harvard University, where he participated in the total synthesis of vitamin B12. On his return to Strasbourg he started to work in areas on the frontier between organic and physical chemistry, later taking an interest in biological processes as well. In 1968 his studies led to the synthesis of cage-like molecules that form inclusion complexes, the cryptates, with various metal ions. With this began his research on the chemical basis of “molecular recognition” (i.e. the way in which a receptor molecule recognizes and selectively binds a substrate), which also plays a fundamental role in biological processes. For these studies Lehn received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 with D.J. Cram and C.J. Pedersen.

In 1970 Lehn became Professor of Chemistry at the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg and since 1979 he is Professor at the Collège de France in Paris.

Over the years his work led to the definition of a new field of chemistry, which he named  “supramolecular chemistry” as it deals with the complex entities formed by the association of two or more chemical species held together by intermolecular forces, whereas molecular chemistry studies the features of the entities constructed from atoms linked by covalent bonds. His research broadened from molecular recognition towards supramolecular catalysis and transport processes. It also extended to the design of molecular devices for supramolecular electronics and photonics. Thereafter the main line of development concerned the design of “programmed” systems that undergo “self-organization” by spontaneous assembly of suitable components into well-defined supramolecular architectures following an Aufbau plan. More recently, importing the dynamic character of supramolecular entities into molecular species by introduction of reversible covalent bonds, led to the development of “constitutional dynamic chemistry”, that extends towards adaptive chemistry.

Author of more than 800 scientific publications, Lehn is a member of many academies and institutions and has received numerous international honours and awards.