Dr. Hoshimoto has achieved the direct use of crude H₂ (gaseous mixtures including CO and CO₂) for the catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated molecules using our original BAr₃, which was successfully applied for the construction of a molecular-based H₂ purification system. Additionally, his group has achieved BAr₃-catalyzed reductive functionalization of amino acids and peptides with H₂, producing only H₂O as a byproduct. His group is also interested in designing and utilizing external-stimuli-responsive carbenes, i.e., their original N-phosphine oxide-substituted NHCs (PoxIms) in main-group and organometallic chemistry fields. These achievements pave the way to developing novel strategies to use main-group and organometallic species in organic synthesis.

Dr. Yamatsugu has pioneered a new way of synthetically manipulating the cellular epigenome with chemical catalysts. He has developed several catalyst systems based on nucleophilic catalysis and dynamic covalent bonds for the introduction of natural and abiotic post-translational modifications to proteins in living cells in place of enzymes. Synthetic histone lysine acylation introduced by his catalyst in living cells changes the cellular epigenome in a truly chemical manner. His work demonstrates a new type of synthetic chemistry for intervention in the cellular chemical networks.

Dr. Nambo has established new synthetic strategies employing organosulfones as reacting templates for the modular and straightforward synthesis of complex structures from simple and readily available materials. To activate less reactive carbon–sulfonyl bond, Dr. Nambo has demonstrated that not only the development of new catalysts and reagents but also the design of sulfonyl group is critically important. His work highlights the unique property of sulfonyl group as a transient directing group to construct valuable molecules by sequential functionalizations of sp³ carbon centers.

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.

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 Cu-mediated 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.

Dr. Fukazawa has developed a number of novel p-electron systems with optical and/or electronic functions by utilizing latent characteristics of third-row main-group elements such as phosphorus and sulfur. These studies not only led to the generation of several outstanding functional materials including fluorescent probes with exceptional photostability, NIR-emissive yet stable fluorophores, two-electron-absorbing dyes, and solution-processable semiconductors, but also provided various new concepts in the rational molecular design of functional p-electron systems.

Dr. Kumagai has developed 4 key organic transformations focused on the amide functionality that were previously elusive: 1) direct enolization of amide for asymmetric C–C bond formation; 2) identification of a chiral amide-based ligand for asymmetric flow-reactions; 3) direct amide-forming reactions using a novel catalyst containing a distinctive B₃NO₂ heterocycle; 4) a new amide activation strategy by means of amide-twisting caused by remote steric constraint. These transformations unraveled new and neglected aspects of the amide functionality to foster further development.

Dr. Ogoshi has developed a new class of macrocyclic hosts named “pillar[n]arenes”. They have unique symmetrical pillar structures due to their para-bridge linkage. Linear 1,2-dichloroethane and bulky chlorocyclohexane acted as template solvents for high-yield synthesis of pillar[5]- and pillar[6]arenes, respectively. Dr. Ogoshi has synthesized various topological and functional molecules based on functionality of pillar[n]arenes, and constructed 2D sheets and 3D vesicles based on geometric assemblies of their pentagonal and hexagonal structures.

The geometry optimization has become a powerful tool to study mechanisms of chemical reactions theoretically. However, it requires some guesses about the mechanism. To study highly complicated multistep mechanisms and reactions for which few previous knowledge is available, fully automated methods that can find both expected and unexpected pathways have been desired. Dr. Maeda has worked on development of such theoretical approaches. His methods have been utilized in studies of a variety of chemical reactions for systematic understanding of their reaction mechanism, selectivity, optical response, etc.

Development of multi-functional ligand for transition metal catalyst is an important challenge to achieve efficient synthetic transformations of unreactive molecules. Dr. Takaya has developed new synthetic reactions of carbon dioxide and unsaturated hydrocarbons utilizing newly designed palladium catalysts bearing a group 14 element-centered pincer ligand. Mechanistic investigations clarified intermediacy of an unprecedented η2-(Si–H)Pd(0) complex through fluxional behavior of the silyl ligand, which enables unprecedented bond activation/formation mechanisms.

Controlling anionic species by counterions is simplest yet difficult strategy in synthetic chemistry due to ambiguous distance and angle between anions and cations. Dr. Uraguchi has demonstrated that anionic intermediates could be precisely controlled by chiral organic cations through cooperative exploitation of electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions to form “structured ion pair”. Highly chemo- and stereoselective transformations were developed under the unique catalyses of P-spiro aminophosphonium salts and ammonium betaines.

The use of strong chemical bonds in catalytic reactions represents a formidable challenge in pure chemistry and would also be beneficial in applied chemistry for enabling strategic diversity in organic synthesis. Dr. Tobisu has developed a series of catalytic reactions that can directly transform inert carbon‒oxygen, carbon‒cyano and carbon‒silicon bonds into an array of useful compounds.

Dr. Shintani designed and utilized new organic reagents for palladium-catalyzed stereoselective intermolecular addition/cyclization reactions, highlighting efficient generation and use of zwitterionic π-allylpalladium intermediates bearing pendant nucleophilic sites. This method allows for the preparation of a diverse array of carbo- and heterocycles that are difficult to synthesize with existing methods, and mechanistic studies on these catalytic reactions have also been successfully carried out.

On the basis of the unique design of multi-nucleating chiral ligands, Dr. Matsunaga has developed various types of multimetallic complexes for bifunctional asymmetric catalysis. The suitably aligned metal centers function in concerted fashion, promoting catalytic asymmetric carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions and other reactions in high enantioselectivity. Detailed mechanistic studies as well as synthetic applications to biologically active compounds have also been achieved.

Dr. Nakao has developed new C-C bond forming addition reactions through activation of stable C-H and C-C bonds by cooperative metal catalysis. The achievements involve carbocyanation reactions of unsaturated compounds through activation of C-CN bonds of nitriles by nickel/Lewis acid cooperative catalysis. Hydroarylation and hydrocarbamoylation reactions are also effected by the binary catalysis through C-H activation of pyridines, pyridones, and formamides.

Dr. Ohmori has developed novel synthetic approaches to densely functionalized polycyclic framework embedded in various bioactive natural products. One of major challenges is the total synthesis of the benanomicin-pradimicin antibiotics via the stereo-selective/specific pinacol cyclization transmitting the stereochemical information from an axial to centrals. This approach would serve as a general and practical synthetic way for highly-oxygenated polycyclic natural/unnatural compounds.

Dr. Itami has developed a number of transition-metal-based catalytic methods that permit efficient functionalization (mainly C-H bond functionalization) of olefins, aromatics, and nano-carbons. These direct and programmable synthetic methodologies not only led to the generation of a number of optoelectronic organic materials and bioactive compounds, but also unlocked opportunities for markedly different strategies in chemical synthesis.

Dr. Terao has developed new methodologies for carbon-carbon and carbon-silicon bond forming reactions using alkyl halides and/or chlorosilanes by drawing focus to these characteristics of an anionic complex. This study will open up a new field of transition metal chemistry providing a unique methodology for introduction of alkyl and silyl groups across carbon-carbon unsaturated units.

Dr. Kanai's achievement is the development of Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional asymmetric catalysis and soft metal-hard anion conjugated asymmetric catalysis.

Dr. Inoue's achievement is the development of efficient methods and strategies for total synthesis of structurally complex and biologically significant natural products such as TMC-95A, merrilactone A, and ciguatoxins.