Preface

Abstract IUPAC is a global, scientific organization that contributes to the worldwide understanding of chemistry and the chemical sciences. It is certainly true that young chemists are shaping our science, and it is important for IUPAC to provide encouragement to our young colleagues. IUPAC accomplishes this goal through the IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists. This prestigious annual prize honors four to five chemists for important and outstanding research carried out during recent Ph.D. studies. The work is mainly judged on the basis of a 1000-word essay which is supported by recommendations from the senior scientist(s) with whom the candidate collaborated. As immediate Past President of IUPAC, I have had the pleasure of chairing an international prize selection committee of eminent chemists with a wide range of expertise in chemistry that adjudicated essays from 36 applicants from 19 countries. Reading these outstanding essays provided a wonderful overview of new trends in chemistry. Due to the large number of excellent candidates, it was not an easy task to pick the winners, but in the end the committee arrived at a unanimous decision and awarded the 2009 IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists to the following five chemists: - Faisal A. Aldaye, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; "Supramolecular DNA nanotechnology: Discrete nanoparticle organization, three dimensional DNA construction, and molecule-mediated DNA self-assembly" - Christopher Bettinger, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; "Synthesis and microfabrication of elastomeric biomaterials for advanced tissue engineering scaffolds" - Xinliang Feng, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany: "C3-symmetric discotic liquid-crystalline materials for molecular electronics: Versatile synthesis and self-organization" - Xing Yi Ling, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands: "From supramolecular chemistry to nanotechnology: Assembly of 3D nanostructures" - Shengqian Ma, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA; "Gas adsorption applications of porous metal–organic frameworks" Each winner received a cash prize of USD 1000 and a trip to the 42nd IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, which took place in Glascow, Scotland, 2-7 August, 2009. Here the winners had the opportunity to present their work, which is an important stage of any research project. The prize winners also were invited to submit manuscripts on aspects of their research for publication in Pure and Applied Chemistry (PAC). It is a pleasure to see that all five prize winners have taken advantage of this offer. The result is five refereed papers which contain critical reviews of high quality and appear in PAC. Finally, it is an honor and a pleasure to congratulate each of the winners (and their supervisors) for winning the 2009 IUPAC Prize. It is IUPAC's hope that each of them has been encouraged to continue to do exciting research that will contribute to a bright future for the molecular-based sciences, which are so important for our common future. Bryan R. Henry IUPAC Immediate Past President and Chair of the IUPAC Prize Selection Committee