2019:

Yurii Simonov Memorial Prize for 2019 was awarded to Vasilii Graur for his contribution in design and synthesis of biologically active 3d metal coordination compounds with 4-allylchalcogensemicarbazones and their derivatives. The biological activity of such compounds strongly depends on the nature of different substituents in 4-allylthiosemicarbazide, alkylation of Sulphur atom, and it substitution by selenium one. Vasilii Graur skillfully used physic-chemical and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for understanding the structure–activity relationship in this group of compounds and finding new substances with selective activity against cancer cells and low toxicity. Vasilii Graur combines his research activity with teaching activities in Moldova State University in Chisinau and preparing students for international chemical Olympiads.  

2018:

We are happy to announce that the winner 2018 Yurii Simonov Memorial prize is Dr. Maxim Guc. His work is devoted to the study and technological development of multicomponent chalcogenide semiconductors for advanced photovoltaic devices as those based in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 kesterite compounds. These technologies have a strong interest because of their potential for the development of high efficiency solar cell devices with low fabrication costs. In contrast with other chalcogenide photovoltaic technologies that are at a much more mature technological state – as those based in CIGS (Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2) – kesterites are only formed by earth abundant elements, which make them specially well suited for the sustainable industrial scale up of their production to mass production levels. In this field, Dr Guc has made several relevant contributions allowing a significant advance in the knowledge of fundamental properties of these semiconductors, providing with clear experimental evidences allowing the identification of their main crystalline structure with the kesterite structure from the deep analysis of their vibrational properties. This has also been complemented with a detailed analysis of their transport properties. Knowledge of these fundamental properties is strongly relevant for the technological development of suitable processes for the synthesis of the absorbers in kesterite based devices.  

2017:

The Yurii Simonov Memorial Prize for 2017 was awarded Diana Chisca for her contribution in design, synthesis, and X-ray structural study of the Co(II) crystalline coordination polymers of different dimensionality with mixed ligands such as dicarboxylic acids and bis(pyridine) ligands of different rigidity, or nicotinamide-like ligands. Such materials revealed the reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations accompanied by changing of color under the solvent molecules release/uptake. The synthesis of new materials together with study of adsorption, magnetic, spectral, and mechanical properties represent a valuable step for development of smart materials based on coordination polymers. Diana Chisca has graduated from Tiraspol State University of Moldova in 2004 and currently is affiliated with Institute of Applied Physics, Moldova Academy of Science, where she is finishing her PhD thesis. The prize awarded for the work that is part of her PhD thesis. Diana Chisca combines her research activity with teaching activities in Moldova State University in Chisinau.  

2016:

The Yurii Simonov Memorial Prize for 2016 was awarded Dr. Sergiu Shova for his valuable contribution in crystallographic structural X-ray study of crystalline materials built-up from discrete molecular and polymeric architectures based on 3d transition metals and flexible ligands containing silane and siloxane units. His research allowed to connect the structure of those materials with their physical properties. Doctor Serjiu Shova has graduated from State University of Moldova in 1980 and obtained PhD  in Chemistry in 1985. Dr. Shova is well recognized researcher in chemistry and crystallography of coordination and supramolecular compounds. Sergiu Shova taught courses in inorganic chemistry, crystallography and X-ray crystal structure analysis. Dr. Shova is affiliated with State University of Moldova, The Institute for Applied Physics of Moldova Academy of Science, The Institute of Chemistry of Moldova Academy of Science, The Zoology Institute of Moldova Academy of Science, and “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Romania. He was involved as a principal investigator and executor in a number of international research projects. Dr. Shova has published about 200 scientific papers in prestigious refereed international journals.  

2015:

The Yurii Simonov Memorial Prize for 2015 was awarded  to Dr. Viorel Felea for pioneering ultrasound spectroscopy investigations
of novel field-induced structural transitions in complex magnetic materials performed
in high magnetic fields up to 65 T. His work helps in  elucidating the role of the spin-lattice coupling and of the mechanisms of the spin and orbital induced transformations in ternary magnetic spinels perspective for spintronic applications.

2014:

The Yurii Simonov Memorial Prize 2014 for seasoned researchers was awarded to Dr. hab. sci. Veaceslav Ursaki (Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies, Academy of Sciences of Moldova) for the series of publications under the general title “Order disorder effects and pressure induced phase transitions in A^IIB^III₂X^VI₄ compounds”. This study generalizes the most stable as-grown structures of A^IIB^III₂X^VI₄ compounds with S and Se as X, their high pressure phases, and their structures upon decompression. It was shown that most of thioindates are cubic spinels, selenoindates are of either tetragonal structures or rhombohedral layered structures, while most of gallates and aluminates crystallize in tetragonal structures (defect chalcopyrites or defect stanites). New insights were brought  into the pressure induced disordering processes, and the scheme of pressure induced phase transitions was revealed by means of Raman scattering study, XRD experiments and optical measurements under hydrostatic pressure in this class of compounds. Understanding of structure-property relationship in these materials can have profound implications in many fields, particularly in improving their optoelectronic applications.

2013:

2013 Prize was awarded to Dr. Lilia Croitor (Institute of Applied Physics, Academy of Sciences of Moldova) for series of publications under the title " Molecular design and crystallographic studies of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) coordination compounds as the hosts for small molecules inclusion ". The object of this study represents the controlled design and single crystal X-ray analysis of the mixed ligand Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) dioximates/dioximes as a new family  of potentially porous materials with useful properties. It has been demonstrated that the bulkiness of the 1,2-cyclohexanedionedioxime molecule along with the conformational flexibility of its cyclohexyl ring provides an access to the loosely packed compounds capable of accumulating guest molecules. Such host�guest systems demonstrate luminescence response to the guest inclusion (in majority of compounds � quenching of luminescence).

Our sincere congratulations to Dr. Croitor!

2012:

In May of 2012 Scientific Committee and the Board decided to award two prizes of $1000 each:

Prize for seasoned researchers was awarded to Dr. Paulina Bourosh (Institute of Applied Physics, Academy of Sciences of Moldova) and Prof. Mihail Revenco (State University of Moldova) for the series of publications under the general title �Crystallographic studies for establishing pathways of chemical reactions in complicated systems�. By applying X ray technique, Bourosh and Revenco have been able not only to determine  the structure of the  new compounds, but also to discover  the ways of  the development of the chemical reactions activated and promoted by the presence of the metallic ions,  new arrangement of the  atoms and chemical bonds, resulting finally in new properties of the materials.

Prize for younger researchers was awarded to Dr. Denis Prodius (Institute of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of Moldova) for series of publications under the title �Synthesis and investigation of polynuclear metal (s-, d- and f-) carboxylates as modern multifunctional materials�. The application of Dr. Prodius was focused on coordination clusters with unusual magnetic interactions and  biologically active compounds. The single crystal X-ray method played a crucial role in his investigations for the determination of molecular structures of novel compounds. Especially, this has been pronouncedly shown in his works related with Single Molecule Magnets, which are a special class of metal-organic clusters that possess purely individual magnetic properties, with each molecule able to be individually magnetized. A variety of different clusters were synthesized by Denis Prodius as precursors for obtaining more than 50 new substances in crystalline form and the crystal structure for 18 of them were analyzed.

Dr. Bourosh receiving the 2012 Prize

Prof. Revenco receiving 2012 Prize

Dr. Prodius receiving 2012 Prize

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