The Hassel Lecture is an annual event organized by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oslo in collaboration with the Norwegian Chemical Society (NKS). The aim is to highlight particularly innovative and timely research, presented by an internationally recognized scientist.
This year’s invited lecturer was Professor Jérôme Lacour, a leading organic chemist with a broad profile in asymmetric synthesis, catalysis, and chiroptical spectroscopy.
A journey through carbocations and their precursors
The main lecture, titled “Stereochemical journey among carbocations and precursors”, was held Monday 18 May at the Department of Chemistry.
Lacour revisited classic concepts in physical organic chemistry – such as carbocations, short‑lived intermediates, and potential energy surfaces – and showed how these apparently “simple” organic building blocks can be used strategically to construct complex, chiral molecules.
A central theme was how control of stereochemistry – the three‑dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule – is crucial for areas ranging from drug development to new functional materials. Using carbocations and related high‑energy species, Lacour described how his group designs new transformations where simple precursors are converted into structurally advanced, often chiral products in few, sometimes single, synthetic steps.
He demonstrated how small changes in substrate design or catalyst choice can steer the reaction pathway through different carbocationic intermediates and thus selectively yield a single desired stereoisomer.
Reactive carbenes and stereoselective catalysis
On Tuesday 19 May, Lacour gave a second lecture entitled:
“Stereoselective synthesis & catalysis with reactive metal carbenes”.
In the spirit of Odd Hassel
The Hassel Lecture is named after Odd Hassel, who received the 1969 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on conformational analysis – the study of how molecules adopt different spatial conformations and how this affects reactivity and properties.
Professor Mohamed Amedjkouh, member of the Hassel Lecture committee, was pleased with this year’s choice of speaker:
– Professor Jérôme Lacour is carrying research on carbocations forward, a research line that began about 100 years ago. His results challenge established dogmas in the field. Lacour goes back to basics and opens up new possibilities!
