{ "name": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "ogResult": { "success": true, "ogLocale": "en_US", "ogSiteName": "SciTechDaily", "ogTitle": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958", "ogUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "ogType": "article", "ogDescription": "Chemists have successfully generated an unstable molecule in water, a feat once believed to be impossible. Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a highly reactive molecule in water, a breakthrough that was long considered impossible. This discovery not only", "articlePublishedTime": "2025-05-06T01:24:34-07:00", "articleModifiedTime": "2025-05-06T01:24:34-07:00", "articleSection": "Chemistry", "articlePublisher": "https://www.facebook.com/scitechdaily", "fbAppId": "227500587331095", "twitterTitle": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958", "twitterUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "twitterDescription": "Chemists have successfully generated an unstable molecule in water, a feat once believed to be impossible. Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a highly reactive molecule in water, a breakthrough that was long considered impossible. This discovery not only", "twitterCard": "summary_large_image", "ogImage": [ { "height": "1333", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg", "width": "2000", "type": "jpg" } ], "twitterImage": [ { "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg" } ], "ogDate": "2025-05-06T01:24:34-07:00", "charset": "UTF-8", "jsonLD": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "NewsArticle", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#article", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/" }, "author": "Jules Bernstein, University of California - Riverside", "headline": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958", "datePublished": "2025-05-06T08:24:34+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/" }, "wordCount": 808, "commentCount": 0, "publisher": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#organization" }, "image": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#primaryimage" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg", "keywords": [ "Biochemistry", "Green Technology", "Pharmaceuticals", "UC Riverside", "Vitamins" ], "articleSection": [ "Chemistry" ], "inLanguage": "en-US", "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "CommentAction", "name": "Comment", "target": [ "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#respond" ] } ] }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "name": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#website" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#primaryimage" }, "image": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#primaryimage" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg", "datePublished": "2025-05-06T08:24:34+00:00", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#breadcrumb" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "ReadAction", "target": [ "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/" ] } ] }, { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#primaryimage", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper.jpg", "width": 2000, "height": 1333, "caption": "Vitamin B1 Paper" }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "SciTechDaily", "item": "https://scitechdaily.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#website", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/", "name": "SciTechDaily", "description": "Science, Space and Technology News 2025", "publisher": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://scitechdaily.com/?s={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": { "@type": "PropertyValueSpecification", "valueRequired": true, "valueName": "search_term_string" } } ], "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#organization", "name": "SciTechDaily", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#/schema/logo/image/", "url": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/scitechdaily-slogo.png", "contentUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/images/scitechdaily-slogo.png", "width": 200, "height": 200, "caption": "SciTechDaily" }, "image": { "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#/schema/logo/image/" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/scitechdaily", "https://x.com/SciTechDaily1", "https://www.youtube.com/@scitechdaily" ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#/schema/person/0ff155909a06e5c5cc27cf93f9429872", "name": "Vincent L", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/#/schema/person/image/", "url": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d1630f2d1eadf87525274d3c1d5cbb3ea3b0b86750aae6ce814cf8941804679d?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg", "contentUrl": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d1630f2d1eadf87525274d3c1d5cbb3ea3b0b86750aae6ce814cf8941804679d?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg", "caption": "Vincent L" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/", "name": "Home" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/news/chemistry/", "name": "Chemistry" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/", "name": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958" } } ] } ], "requestUrl": "https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-confirm-crazy-vitamin-b1-theory-from-1958/" }, "ogHTML": "Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958 Close Menu Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Biology Chemistry Earth Health Physics Science Space Technology Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest YouTube RSS Home»Chemistry»Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958 Chemistry Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958By Jules Bernstein, University of California - RiversideMay 6, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Reddit Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email Reddit A team of chemists has achieved the unprecedented: stabilizing a notoriously reactive carbene molecule in water, validating a decades-old theory about vitamin B1 and offering a greener path for chemical manufacturing. Chemists have successfully generated an unstable molecule in water, a feat once believed to be impossible. Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a highly reactive molecule in water, a breakthrough that was long considered impossible. This discovery not only resolves a long-standing biochemical question but also paves the way for more sustainable and efficient methods of producing pharmaceuticals. The molecule involved is a carbene, a form of carbon atom with only six valence electrons instead of the usual eight. This electron deficiency makes carbenes extremely unstable and reactive, especially in water, where they typically break down almost immediately. However, for decades, scientists have suspected that vitamin B1, or thiamine, might form a carbene-like intermediate during essential reactions in the body. Confirming Breslow’s 1958 hypothesis Now, for the first time, researchers have successfully created a stable carbene in water. They were able to isolate it, seal it in a container, and observe it remaining intact for several months. This achievement is detailed in a new paper published in Science Advances. UCR’s Vincent Lavallo, left, and Aaron Gregory, right, who helped prove a 67-year-old chemistry hypothesis. Credit: Stan Lim/UCR “This is the first time anyone has been able to observe a stable carbene in water,” said Vincent Lavallo, a professor of chemistry at UC Riverside and corresponding author of the paper. “People thought this was a crazy idea. But it turns out, Breslow was right.” The reference is to Ronald Breslow, a Columbia University chemist who proposed in 1958 that vitamin B1 could convert into a carbene to drive biochemical transformations in the body. Breslow’s idea was compelling, but carbenes were so unstable, especially in water, that no one could prove they actually existed in a biological setting. Shielding the carbene for stability Lavallo’s team succeeded by wrapping the carbene in what he calls “a suit of armor,” a molecule they synthesized in the laboratory that shields the reactive center from water and other molecules. The resulting structure is stable enough to be studied with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography, providing conclusive evidence that carbenes like this can exist in water. Water stable carbene as seen by the x-ray diffractometer. Credit: Lavallo Lab/UCR “We were making these reactive molecules to explore their chemistry, not chasing a historical theory,” said first author Varun Raviprolu, who completed the research as a graduate student at UCR and is now a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA. “But it turns out our work ended up confirming exactly what Breslow proposed all those years ago.” Toward greener pharmaceutical chemistry Beyond confirming a biochemical hypothesis, the discovery has practical implications. Carbenes are often used as “ligands,” or support structures, in metal-based catalysts — the chemical workhorses used to produce pharmaceuticals, fuels, and other materials. Most of these processes rely on toxic organic solvents. The researchers’ method of stabilizing carbenes in water could help make those reactions cleaner, less expensive, and safer. “Water is the ideal solvent — it’s abundant, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly,” Raviprolu said. “If we can get these powerful catalysts to work in water, that’s a big step toward greener chemistry.” Chemist Varun Raviprolu, paper co-author and former UCR graduate student, now at UCLA. Credit: Stan Lim/UCR Mimicking cell chemistry in the lab Knowing that such reactive intermediate molecules can be generated and survive in water also brings scientists one step closer to mimicking the kind of chemistry that happens naturally in cells, which are mostly made of water. “There are other reactive intermediates we’ve never been able to isolate, just like this one,” Lavallo said. “Using protective strategies like ours, we may finally be able to see them and learn from them.” For Lavallo, who has spent two decades designing carbenes, the moment is both professional and personal. “Just 30 years ago, people thought these molecules couldn’t even be made,” he said. “Now we can bottle them in water. What Breslow said all those years ago — he was right.” For Raviprolu, the discovery serves as a reminder to persevere in scientific research and discovery. “Something that seems impossible today might be possible tomorrow, if we continue to invest in science,” he said. Reference: “Confirmation of Breslow’s hypothesis: A carbene stable in liquid water” by Varun Tej Raviprolu, Aaron Gregory, Isaac Banda, Scott G. McArthur, Sarah E. McArthur, William A. Goddard III, Charles B. Musgrave III and Vincent Lavallo, 11 April 2025, Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr9681 Never miss a breakthrough: Join the SciTechDaily newsletter. Biochemistry Green Technology Pharmaceuticals UC Riverside Vitamins Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit Related Articles Tricking COVID-19 With a Fake “Handshake” to Inactivate the Coronavirus Chemists Develop a New Drug Discovery Strategy for “Undruggable” Targets Using Red Blood Cells, Light, and a Honey Bee Peptide to Deliver Therapeutic Proteins to Specific Areas of the Body AI Machine Learning Innovation to Develop Chemical Library for Drug Discovery Chemists Discover a Sulfur Molecule to Block the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Efficiently Creating “Building Blocks” of Pharmaceuticals to Accelerate Drug Discovery Research MIT Automated Tabletop Fast Protein Synthesis Machine May Accelerate Drug Development Algae-Powered Fuel Cells Move a Step Closer to Reality Working to Recycle Greenhouse Gases Leave A Reply Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Don't Miss a Discovery Subscribe for the Latest in Science & Tech! Trending News Scientists Discover Belly Fat “Trigger” in Aging Bodies Quantum Simulation Shows How Reality Could Collapse Like a House of Cards New Drugs Outperform Paxlovid – A Game Changer for COVID and Future Pandemics Planet Discovered Orbiting a Star Speeding Out of the Galaxy at 1.2 Million MPH NASA’s Juno Exposes Sizzling Lava Lakes Beneath Io and Cyclonic Chaos on Jupiter Heart Mystery Solved: Scientists Discover Unexpected Source of Cardiac Inflammation Alien Earths Everywhere: How Cosmic Light Revealed a Universe of Hidden Worlds This Simple Mind Trick Could Make You Actually Want To Exercise Follow SciTechDailyFacebook Twitter YouTube Pinterest Newsletter RSS SciTech NewsBiology News Chemistry News Earth News Health News Physics News Science News Space News Technology News Recent Posts Tectonic Surprise: Mantle Upwelling, Not Mega-Crunch, Built Earth’s “Roof of the World” 17 Years Later, Scientists May Have Finally Solved the Extreme Rainfall Mystery Satellites Tracked a Volcano’s Secret Collapse for 12 Years – Then It Sparked a Killer Wave New Molecules Target Root Cause of Chronic Pain Without Opioids Scientists Finally Confirm “Crazy” Vitamin B1 Theory From 1958 Copyright © 1998 - 2025 SciTechDaily. All Rights Reserved. Science News About Contact Editorial Board Privacy Policy Terms of Use Submit Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.", "ogLength": 8094, "images": [ "https://scitechdaily.com/images/scitechdaily-logo-flat-40.png", "https://scitechdaily.com/images/scitechdaily-logo-flat-40.png", "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vitamin-B1-Paper-777x518.jpg", "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Vincent-Lavallo-Left-and-Aaron-Gregory-Right-777x518.jpg", "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Stable-Carbene-777x449.jpg", "https://scitechdaily.com/images/Varun-Raviprolu-777x437.jpg" ], "youtube": {} }