Hajime Ito

Solid-state organic synthesis with redox mechanochemistry

Research Director

Hajime Ito

Collaborator

Hikaru Takaya	Professor School of Biological and Environmental Science Teikyo University of Science
Satoshi Maeda	Professor Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry Hokkaido University
Akiko Yagi	Designated Associate Professor Institute of Transformative bio-Molecules Nagoya University

Outline

Synthetic organic chemistry provides advanced materials necessary for mankind such as pharmaceuticals and electronic materials, but the use of organic solvents is a bottleneck in terms of environmental impact and cost. In this study, we will establish “solid organic synthetic chemistry” that does not use organic solvents, using a new technology called “redox mechanochemistry” developed by us. This research not only reduces the cost of organic synthesis, but also enables the development of new materials that have not been studied due to their low solubility.

Kazuhiro Chiba

Dehydration-condensation reaction by electron transfer control

Research Director

Kazuhiro Chiba

Collaborator

Masanobu Uchiyama	Professor Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences The University of Tokyo
Akio Saito	Professor Institute of Global Innovation Research Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Outline

In this project, we construct an electron relay system that promotes the generation and reaction of open-shell molecules to achieve an electron-transfer dehydration-condensation method. By using wide variety of medium molecule peptides as model compounds, the system minimizes the amount of waste from chemical reactions, and built a multi-step dehydration condensation reaction system to achieve high purity and high yield production. In this way, we will fundamentally change the concept of mass consumption of reagents and reaction solutions in conventional chemical methods, and aim to develop the innovative chemical production by electron transfer and photo irradiation process.

Tomohiro Nozaki

Developing nonthermal plasma enabled electron-driven catalysis

Research Director

Tomohiro Nozaki

Collaborator

Hyunha Kim	Leader Environmental Management Research Institute National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Satoru Takakusagi	Professor Institute for Catalysis Hokkaido University

Outline

We will conduct the multidisciplinary academic research to elucidate the origins of plasma-interacting catalytic reaction by focusing on plasma-generated known radicals coupled with single-crystal model catalysts. Plasma-interacting catalytic reaction is diagnosed by various operando spectroscopy to exploring plasma-enabled peculiar reaction paths that support emerging catalysts development. Furthermore, we study plasma catalysis of methane reforming employing newly developed catalysts and extract the prospective candidates that reduce the characteristic temperature by 150 degC compared to the thermal catalysis. Innovative plasma catalysis, including catalysts development, that further reduces the characteristic temperature by 200 degC will be proposed.

Hideki Yorimitsu

Creation of advanced multi-functionalization reactions by means of electron injection into unsaturated bonds

Research Director

Hideki Yorimitsu

Collaborator

Shinobu Aoyagi	Professor Graduate School of Sciences Nagoya City University
Takahiro Sasamori	Professor Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences University of Tsukuba

Outline

By exploring appropriate electrophiles, we will control electron injection into unsaturated bonds and create innovative reactions that introduce various functional groups to unsaturated compounds at once to provide libraries of useful synthetic intermediates and products. With the aid of crystal structure analysis and computational chemistry, we will elucidate the properties of key intermediates and reaction mechanisms and lead to further discovery of new reactions. We will also establish the use of electrolytic reduction in this project to provide innovative technology using electrical energy.