Monday's Molecule #55

 
This is a strange-looking molecule. You have to name it, giving us the common name and the correct systematic IUPAC name.

There's a direct connection between this molecule and Wednesday's Nobel Laureate(s). Your task is to figure out the significance of today's molecule and identify the Nobel Laureate(s) who worked out the structure of the molecule.

The reward goes to the person who correctly identifies the molecule and the Nobel Laureate(s). Previous winners are ineligible for one month from the time they first collected the prize. There is only one ineligible candidates for this week's reward because Sandwalk readers have not been very successful in recent weeks. The prize is a free lunch at the Faculty Club.

Send your guess to Sandwalk (sandwalk(at)bioinfo.med.utoronto.ca) and I'll pick the first email message that correctly identifies the molecule and the Nobel Laureate(s). Correct responses will be posted tomorrow along with the time that the message was received on my server. I may select multiple winners if several people get it right.

Comments will be blocked for 24 hours. Comments are now open.

UPDATE:We have a winner! Alex Ling (again) knew that the molecule was morphine [(5α,6α)-7,8-didehydro-4,5-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-3,6-diol] and he guessed the Noble Laureate correctly. Two other readers got morphine and the Nobel Laureate but they did not provide the correct IUPAC name as required.

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