Carbohydrates are essential for many biological processes, but their molecular complexity means that synthesizing them requires “intermittent, tedious work-ups and time-consuming purifications”, says Shang-Cheng Hung, a chemistry professor at the National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Simplifying the process would make it easier to produce hundreds, if not thousands, of these useful biopolymers.

Hung drew on two earlier mentors' work to find chemical shortcuts (see page 896). He adapted a concept developed by his former postdoc adviser Chi-Huey Wong, who is now president of Academia Sinica in Taipei. Wong's 'one-pot' concept allows many chemical building blocks to be produced at once. Hung then modified a technique devised by his PhD supervisor Chun-Chen Liao, a professor at National Tsing Hua University. His technique allows a single catalyst to drive reactions at relatively low temperatures. “When we combined both processes, we obtained excellent selectivity and good yields,” Hung says.

Hung started the project seven years ago, but needed time to find optimal reaction conditions by trial and error. His mentors' inspiration and his group's efforts should make carbohydrate synthesis faster and easier for the next wave of chemists.