2022 Merck-Banyu Lectureship: Kohsuke Ohmatsu (Nagoya University) & Koji Hirano (Osaka University)
(From Left to Right: Dr. Kohsuke Ohmatsu, Dr. Koji Hirano)
Host: Noah Burns
Dr. Kohsuke Ohmatsu, Nagoya University (Winner of 2020)
"Exploiting Ionic Molecules for Hitherto Difficult Catalytic Transformation"
About the Seminar
Dr. Ohmatsu has developed novel ionic ligands and ionic organocatalysts: 1) ion-paired ligand consisting of cationic achiral phosphine and chiral anion; 2) chiral onium−phosphine hybrid ligand; 3) chiral 1,2,3-triazolium ion having strong anion-binding ability. These catalysts enabled challenging asymmetric transformations such as construction of contiguous all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. He also developed a unique ionic radical catalyst: 4) zwitterionic triazolium amidate that allowed for efficient C(sp3)−H alkylation of various organic compounds.
About the Speaker
Kohsuke Ohmatsu studied chemistry at Kyoto University where he obtained his B. Sci. (2003), M. Sci. (2005), and Dr. Sci. degrees (2008) under the supervision of Prof. Keiji Maruoka. He started his research as an assistant professor at Nagoya University in Apr. 2008, became a lecturer in 2013, and was then promoted to an associate professor in 2015. He received several awards including Akasaki Award by Nagoya University (2012), The Chemical Society of Japan Award for Young Chemists (2016), The Commendation for Science and Technology by MEXT, The Young Scientists' Prize (2017), Chemist Award BCA (2020), and Thieme Chemistry Journals Award (2021). His current research interests include the development of new catalysts and their application for hitherto difficult stereo-, regio- or chemoselective reactions.
Professor Ohmatsu Institution Site
Dr. Koji Hirano, Osaka University (Winner of 2019)
"Development of New Bond Forming Strategies by Extended Umpolung"
About the Seminar
Dr. Hirano has extended the concept of traditional carbonyl umpolung to aromatic compounds as well as heteroatom species and developed new C–C and C–heteroatom bond forming strategies: 1) direct aromatic couplings via Cu- mediated C– H activation; 2) highly regio- and enantioselective aminoboration and hydroamination of alkenes via Cumediated electrophilic amination; 3) C–C/C–P bond forming sequence and rapid construction of phospholes via Tf2O-mediated electrophilic phosphination. These studies enable the otherwise challenging molecular transformations and greatly contribute to the development of organic synthetic chemistry.
About the Speaker
Koji Hirano studied chemistry at Kyoto University where he obtained his B. Eng. (2003), M. Eng. (2005), and Dr. Eng. degrees (2008) under the supervision of Prof. Koichiro Oshima. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Tamio Hayashi from Apr. to Sep. in 2008. He started his research as an assistant professor at Osaka University in Oct. 2008 and was then promoted to an associate professor in 2015. He received several awards including Green Sustainable Chemistry Award by MEXT (2014), The Chemical Society of Japan Award for Young Chemists (2016), The Commendation for Science and Technology by MEXT, The Young Scientists' Prize (2017), Chemist Award BCA (2019), and Thieme Chemistry Journals Award (2020). His current research interests include the development of new synthetic strategies, particularly, promoted by transition-metal catalysts and uniquely reactive heteroatom species.
Professor Hirano Institution Site