Department of Chemistry

As of April 2019

Research Area : Structural Chemistry

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/~solid/index_e.html)

Hiroyuki ISHIDA, Professor
Kazuma GOTOH, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Crystal engineering by use of intermolecular interactions
  • Structure and properties of porous solids and battery materials using nuclear magnetic resonance
  • Research and development of porous carbon materials

Representative Publication :

  • R. Morita, K. Gotoh, M. Fukunishi, K. Kubota, S. Komaba, T. Yumura, N. Nishimura, K. Deguchi, S. Ohki, T. Shimizu and H. Ishida Combination of solid state NMR and DFT calculation to elucidate the state of sodium in hard carbon electrodes J. Mater. Chem. A, 4, 13183-13193 (2016).
  • K. Gotoh, H. Maruyama, T. Miyatou, M. Mizuno, K. Urita, and H. Ishida Structure and Dynamic Behavior of Na-Diglyme Complex in the Graphite Anode of Sodium Ion Battery by 2H Nucler Magnetic Resonance J. Phys. Chem. C , 120, 28152-28156 (2016).
  • K. Gotoh and H. Ishida Hydrogen-bonded structures of the 1:1 and 1:2 compounds of chloranilic acid with pyrrolidin-2-one and piperidin-2-one Acta Cryst . C67, o500–o504 (2011).

Research Area : Molecular Spectroscopy

Research Themes:

  • High-resolution spectroscopy of free radicals and molecular ions
  • Infrared spectroscopy of molecular clusters
  • Spectroscopic and reaction dynamics studies of interstellar molecules
  • Non-linear Spectroscopy

Representative Publication :

  • K. Kawaguchi, R. Fujimori, J. Tang, and T. Ishiwata FTIR Spectroscopy of NO3 : Perturbation Analysis of the ν34 State J. Phys. Chem. A 117, 13732–13742 (2013).
  • Y. Miyamoto, H. Ooe, S. Kuma, K. Kawaguchi, K. Nakajima, I. Nakano, N. Sasao, J. Tang, T. Taniguchi, and M. Yoshimura Spectroscopy of HF and HF containing clusters in solid parahydrogen J. Phys. Chem. A 115, 14254–14261 (2011).
  • H. Ooe, Y. Miyamoto, S. Kuma, K. Kawaguchi, K. Nakajima, I. Nakano, N. Sasao, J. Tang, T. Taniguchi, M. Yoshimura Diffusion of hydrogen fluoride in solid parahydrogen J. Chem. Phys. 138, 214309-1-6 (2013).

Research Area : Synthetic and Physical Organic Chemistry

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/~spoc/index.html)

Hideki OKAMOTO, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Photochemical reactions and phophysical properties of cyclophanes
  • Synthesis of polycyclic aromatic compounds and their application to organic electronics
  • Development and photophysical properties of luminescent probes

Representative Publication :

  • H. Okamoto, H. Takahashi, T. Takane, Y. Nishiyama, K. Kakiuchi, S. Gohda, and M. Yamaji, Convenient phenacene synthesis by sequentially performed Wittig reaction and Mallory photocyclization using continuous flow technique, Synthesis, 49, pp. 2949–2957 (2017)
  • H. Okamoto, T. Kozai, Z. Okabayashi, T. Shinmyozu, H. Ota, K. Amimoto, and K. Satake, Synthesis, structure, and photoreactions of fluorinated 2,11-diaza[32]paracyclophane: Photochemical formation of cage-diene type benzene dimer, J. Phys. Org. Chem., 30, e3726 (2017).
  • M. Fujii, M. Namba, M. Yamaji and H. Okamoto, Solvent-induced multicolour fluorescence of amino-substituted 2,3-naphthalimides studied by fluorescence and transient absorption measurements, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 15, pp. 842–850 (2016). (Front cover article)

Research Area : Inorganic Chemistry

Research Themes:

  • Unprecedented states of metal-ions encapsulated in solid-inorganic compounds with nano-sized pores
  • Specific adsorption feature of metal-ion-exchanged zeolites
  • Confined structure of molecules and ions in carbon nanospace
  • New reactions using nano-carbons

Representative Publication :

  • A. Oda, T. Ohkubo, T. Yumura, H. Kobayashi, and Y. Kuroda Identification of stable ZnII−oxyl species enforced by MFI and its reversible reactivity with O2 at RT Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 56, 9715-9718 (2017).
  • A. Oda, T. Ohkubo, T. Yumura, H. Kobayashi, and Y. Kuroda Why do zeolites induce unprecedented electronic state on exchanged metal ions? Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 19, 25105-25114 (2017).
  • M. Nishi, T. Ohkubo, M. Yamasaki, H. Takagi, and Y. Kuroda Surplus adsorption of bromide ion into p-conjugated carbon nanospaces assisted by proton coadsorption J. Colloid Interface Sci., 508, 415-418 (2017).

Research Area : Coordination Chemistry

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/ ~complex/Coord.Chem.Eng/Home.html)

Takayoshi SUZUKI, Professor
Yukinari SUNATSUKI, Assistant Professor

Research Themes:

  • Synthesis of novel coordination compounds and control of their structures and functionalities
  • Complete spontaneous resolution of metal complexes
  • Synthesis and magnetic property of novel metal complexes

Representative Publication :

  • A. Mori, T. Suzuki, Y. Nakatani, Y. Sunastuki, M. Kojima and K. Nakajima Palladium(II) mononuclear and palladium(II)/ruthenium(II) heterodinuclear complexes containing 2-quinolyl-substituted (pyridine-2-carbonyl)hydrazone, Dalton Trans. 44, 15757–15760 (2015).
  • A. Kashima, M. Sakate, H. Ota, A. Fuyuhiro, Y. Sunatsuki and T. Suzuki Thyminate(2–)-bridged cyclic tetranuclear rhodium(III) complexes formed by a template of a sodium, calcium or lanthanoid ion, Chem. Commun. 51, 1889–1892. (2015).
  • T. Ueno, Y. Ii, T. Fujinami, N. Matsumoto, S. Iijima, and Y. Sunatsuki Polymorphs of spin-crossover iron(II) complex fac-[FeII(HLn-Pr)3]Cl・PF6 (HLn-Pr = 2-methylimidazol-4-yl-methylideneamino-n-propyl): Assembly structures and scan rate dependent spin-crossover properties with thermal hysteresis, Polyhedron 136, 13–22 (2017).

Research Area : Molecular Surface Science

(URL:http://interfa.rlss.okayama-u.ac.jp/index.html)

Yoshihiro KUBOZONO, Professor
Hidenori GOTO, Associate Professor
Ritsuko EGUCHI, Assistant Professor

Research Themes:

  • Fabrication and characterization of superconductors of carbon-based materials and two-dimensional layered materials
  • Electronic devices (transistors) based on organic molecules and two-dimensional layered materials
  • Study on electronic properties of graphene and topological materials
  • Nanoscale science in light element materials

Representative Publication :

  • R. Mitsuhashi, Y. Suzuki, Y. Yamanari, H. Mitamura, T. Kambe, N. Ikeda, H. Okamoto, A. Fujiwara, M. Yamaji, N. Kawasaki, Y. Maniwa, and Y. Kubozono, Superconductivity in alkali-metal-doped picene, Nature 464, 76 (2010).
  • H. Goto, E. Uesugi, R. Eguchi, A. Fujiwara, and Y. Kubozono, Edge-Dependent Transport Properties in Graphene, Nano Lett. 13, 1126 (2013).
  • M. Izumi, L. Zheng, Y. Sakai, H. Goto, M. Sakata, Y. Nakamoto, H. L. T. Nguyen, T. Kagayama, K. Shimizu, S. Araki, T. C. Kobayashi, T. Kambe, D. Gu, J. Guo, J. Liu, Y. Li, L. Sun, K. Prassides, and Y. Kubozono, Emergence of double-dome superconductivity in ammoniated metal-doped FeSe, Sci. Rep. 5, 9477 (2015).

Research Area : Theoretical Physical Chemistry

(URL:http://phys.chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/english/index.html)

Kenichiro KOGA, Professor
Tomonari SUMI, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Structure and phase transitions of liquids, liquid mixtures, and fluid interfaces
  • Hydrophobic effect
  • Development of density-functional theory for liquids and its application to thermodynamic stability of proteins
  • Stocastic modeling of molecular motors and biomolecular machines

Representative Publication :

  • K. Koga, Osmotic Second Virial Coefficient of Methane in Water, J. Phys. Chem. B 117, 12619 (2013).
  • K. Mochizuki and K. Koga, Solid-liquid critical behavior of water in nanopores, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112, 8221 (2015).
  • I. Hatano, K. Mochizuki, T. Sumi, and K. Koga, Hydrophobic Polymer Chain in Water That Undergoes a Coil-to-Globule Transtion Near Room Temperature, J. Phys. Chem. B 120, 12127 (2016).
  • T. Sumi, Y. Maruyama, A. Mitsutake, K. Mochizuki, and K. Koga, Application of reference-modified density functional theory: Temperature and pressure dependences of solvation free energy, J. Comput. Chem. 39, 202 (2018).
  • T. Sumi, Design principles governing chemomechanical coupling of kinesin, Sci. Rep. 7, 1163 (2017).

Research Area : Physical Chemistry

Research Themes:

  • Multiple free-radical scavenging capacity of antioxidants in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
  • Function control of inclusion materials based on complexation mechanism and its applications

Representative Publication :

  • Y. Sueishi, E. Kamogawa, A. Kimura, G. Kitahara, H. Satoh, T. Asanuma, and S. Oowada Multiple free-radical scavenging (MULTIS) capacity in cattle serum, J. Clin. Biochem. Nutr., 60, 76–80 (2017).
  • Y. Sueishi, Y. Honda, S. Fujitani, N. Inazumi, and T. Hanaya Investigation of inclusion complexation of imidazolium and pyrrolidinium chlorides with water-soluble p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene: characteristic effects of external pressure, temperature, and substituents, J. Incl. Phenom. Macrocycl. Chem., 86, 255–261 (2016).

Research Area : Theoretical Chemistry

(URL:http://theochem.chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/english/index.html)

Hideki TANAKA, Professor
Masakazu MATSUMOTO, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Aquomics: a comprehensive study of water and hydrates
  • Theoretical study of the phase transitions and critical phenomena of water and hydrates
  • Crystal structure prediction of ices and hydrates
  • Structure and property of water and aqueous solutions in confined geometry

Representative Publication :

  • K. Himoto, M. Matsumoto, and H. Tanaka, Yet another criticality of water, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. in press (2014). doi:10.1039/c3cp54726d.
  • K. Mochizuki, M. Matsumoto, and I. Ohmine , Defect pair separation as the controlling step in homogeneous ice melting, Nature 498, 350–354 (2013).
  • H. Tanaka and M. Matsumoto, Statistical Mechanical Approach to the Thermodynamic Stability of Clathrate Hydrates, Adv. Chem. Phys. 152, 421–462 (2013).

Research Area : Organic Chemistry

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/~organic/homeE.html)

Isao KADOTA, Professor
Hiroyoshi TAKAMURA, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Total synthesis of biologically active natural products
  • Development of new synthetic strategy and reaction
  • Structural elucidation of complex natural products based on chemical synthesis

Representative Publication :

  • T. Tanaka, H. Asakura, R. Fujiwara, K. Kumamoto, H. Izuka, K. Shiroma, H. Takamura, and I. Kadota, Improved Synthesis of the A–E Ring Segment of Ciguatoxin CTX3C by Using Intramolecular Allylations, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. doi:10.1246/bcsj.20170390 (2018)
  • H. Takamura, T. Ohashi, T. Kikuchi, N. Endo, Y. Fukuda, and I. Kadota, Late-Stage Divergent Synthesis and Antifouling Activity of Geraniol–Butenolide Hybrid Molecules, Org. Biomol. Chem. 15, pp. 5549–5555 (2017).
  • H. Takamura, T. Fujiwara, Y. Kawakubo, I. Kadota, and D. Uemura, Stereodivergent Synthesis and Stereochemical Reassignment of the C79–C104 Fragment of Symbiodinolide, Chem. Eur. J. 22, pp. 1984–1996 (2016).

Research Area : Organic Synthetic Chemistry

Research Themes:

  • Synthetic studies on natural pterin glycosides
  • Synthetic studies on sugar analogs having phosphorus in the ring and the related organophosphorus compounds

Representative Publication :

  • T. Hanaya, K. Iwasaki, K, Saeki, and T. Hattori, Efficient Total Syntheses of Natural Neopterin Glycosides: Neopterin Glucronide and Solfapterin, Heterocycles, 95, 390-409 (2017).
  • T. Hanaya and H. Yamamoto, Synthesis of Biopterin and Related Pterin Glycosides, IUBMB Life, 65, 300-309 (2013).
  • T. Hanaya, H. Baba, H. Toyota, and H. Yamamoto, Synthetic Studies on Pterin Glycosides: the First Synthesis of 2’-O-(α-D-Glucopyranosyl)biopterin, Tetrahedron, 65, 7989-7997 (2009).

Research Area : Functional Organic Chemistry

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/~funcchem/english/index.html)

Yasushi NISHIHARA, Professor
Masayuki IWASAKI, Assistant Professor
Hiroki MORI, Assistant Professor

Research Themes:

  • Synthesis of functional polycyclic aromatic compounds and its application to organic field-effect transistors
  • Development of the transition-metal catalyzed direct sulfurization reactions of the carbon-hydrogen bonds
  • The elucidation of reaction mechanisms using quantum chemical calculations
  • Synthesis of π-conjugated organic molecules directed towards organic thin film solar cells

Representative Publication :

  • H. Mori, S. Hara, S. Nishinaga, and Y. Nishihara, Solar Cell Performance of Phenanthrodithiophene-Isoindigo Copolymers Depends on Their Thin-Film Structure and Molecular Weight, Macromolecules 50, pp. 4639-4648 (2017).
  • Y. Kubozono, K. Hyodo, S. Hamao, Y. Shimo, H. Mori, and Y. Nishihara, Transistor Properties of 2,7-Dialkyl-Substituted Phenanthro[2,1-b:7,8-b']dithiophene, Sci. Rep. 6, 38535 (2016).
  • M. Iwasaki, T. Fujii, K. Nakajima, and Y. Nishihara, Iron-Induced Regio- and Stereoselective Addition of Sulfenyl Chlorides to Alkynes via a Radical Pathway, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53, pp. 13880-13884 (2014).

Research Area : Analytical Chemistr

(URL:http://chem.okayama-u.ac.jp/~analytical/home_e.html)

Takashi KANETA, Professor
Nobuyuki TAKEYASU, Associate Professor

Research Themes:

  • Analysis of single cells and single molecules
  • Development of nanomaterials and their application to analytical science

Representative Publication :

  • K. Yamaguchi, N. Takeyasu and T. Kaneta, Determination of association constants between 5’-guanosine monophosphate gel and aromatic compounds by capillary electrophoresis, Journal of Chromatography A, 1288, 149–154 (2013).
  • G. Inoue, T. Kaneta, T. Takayanagi, J. Kakehi, H. Motose and T. Takahashi, Determination of polyamines in Arabidopsis thaliana by capillary electrophoresis using salicylaldehyde-5-sulfonate as a derivatizing reagent, Analytical Methods 5, 2854–2859 (2013).
  • A. Tabara and T. Kaneta. Discrimination of glycoproteins via two-color laser-induced fluorescence detection coupled with postcolumn derivatization in capillary electrophoresis. Electrophoresis 34, 2316–2322 (2013).