Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear
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Noyori, R. (2025). Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear. GNT Publishing GmbH. https://doi.org/10.47261/1564
Noyori, Ryoji. Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear. GNT Publishing GmbH, 2025. Book. https://doi.org/10.47261/1564
Noyori, R (2025): Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear, GNT Publishing GmbH, [online] https://doi.org/10.47261/1564
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Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear
Lives in Chemistry – Lebenswerke in der Chemie, Vol. 14
(2025)
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Abstract
RYOJI NOYORI, born in Kobe in 1938, accepted the challenge to look back upon his life. He saw himself living in poverty and often struggling during and after WW II. He saw his parents and their friends guiding and inspiring him. He saw himself climbing up the ranks at the universities in Kyoto and Nagoya, deeply embedded in the Japanese culture.He saw himself conquering organic synthesis and asymmetric homogeneous catalysis as well as green chemistry. Formative was his time with Nobel laureate E. J. Corey at Harvard where he was exposed to a completely different culture. Back in Nagoya, Noyori’s scientific success continued and culminated in receiving the Nobel Prize in 2001.His extraordinary care about Japan’s science led to his second career, first as President of RIKEN, Japan’s largest research institution, and then as a leading figure to many governmental and industrial organizations. The basis of all his activities is a deep sense of responsibility for the society at large and the next generation of scientists.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lives in Chemistry | 3 | ||
| Published titles in this series | 4 | ||
| Imprint | 6 | ||
| Table of Contents | 8 | ||
| Essentials | 11 | ||
| Prologue | 17 | ||
| 1 Where did I come from? | 21 | ||
| 1.1 Memories of my childhood | 23 | ||
| 1.2 A mischievous city kid | 24 | ||
| 1.3 Helping in the family | 26 | ||
| 1.4 My parents | 27 | ||
| 1.5 My admiration for Professor Yukawa | 29 | ||
| 1.6 Feeling the power of chemistry | 30 | ||
| 1.7 The importance of physical strength and academic capability | 32 | ||
| 2 Entering Kyoto University in the Sputnik Year | 35 | ||
| 2.1 Moving from Kobe to Kyoto in 1957 | 37 | ||
| 2.2 Joining Keiiti Sisido’s laboratory of organic chemistry in 1960 | 38 | ||
| 2.3 My first research topic: o-xylylene chemistry (1960–1966) | 41 | ||
| 2.4 The “immortal Noyori” survives an explosion | 42 | ||
| 2.5 Reflecting on Japan’s organic chemistry in the early 1960s | 44 | ||
| 2.6 Implications of molecular catalysis | 46 | ||
| 2.7 Asymmetric catalysis with chiral organometallic molecular compounds | 47 | ||
| 2.8 Birth of asymmetric catalysis with chiral organometallic compounds (1966–1968) | 48 | ||
| 2.9 The asymmetric carbene reaction | 49 | ||
| 2.10 Challenging a famous statement of Louis Pasteur | 51 | ||
| 2.11 Primitive asymmetric organometallic alkylation (1968–1971) | 52 | ||
| 2.12 Photochemistry of cyclic enones (1965–1975) | 53 | ||
| 2.13 Receiving my PhD (Dr. Eng.) degree | 55 | ||
| 2.14 Kyoto’s Hanamachi district as a cultural classroom | 55 | ||
| References for chapter 2 | 57 | ||
| 3 Starting an Independent Career at Nagoya University | 59 | ||
| 3.1 An invitation from Nagoya University | 61 | ||
| 3.2 Meeting a giant in natural products organic chemistry | 61 | ||
| 3.3 My memories with Satoru Masamune | 63 | ||
| 3.4 Launching the Noyori Laboratory (1968) | 64 | ||
| 3.5 Photo-induced Nazarov chemistry (1968–1975) | 65 | ||
| 3.6 Lessons of transition-metal effects on reactive intermediates (1968) | 67 | ||
| Pursuing trimethylenemethane-metal complexes (Unrealized idea leading to a surprising consequence) | 67 | ||
| Unrealized idea II | 69 | ||
| References for chapter 3 | 70 | ||
| 4 A postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University | 71 | ||
| 4.1 Joining E. J. Corey’s group at Harvard (1969–70) | 73 | ||
| 4.2 Prostaglandin synthesis and hydrogenation | 75 | ||
| 4.3 My astonishment in encountering world-leading chemists | 81 | ||
| 4.4 Experiencing the stimulating American society | 84 | ||
| 4.5 A memorable one-month vacation | 85 | ||
| 4.6 My lab in Japan | 86 | ||
| References for chapter 4 | 86 | ||
| 5 Three decades of OMCOS research at Nagoya | 87 | ||
| 5.1 Fe carbonyl-promoted [3+4] and [3+2] cyclo-coupling reactions (1968–1984) | 89 | ||
| 5.2 Transition metal catalysis of strained hydrocarbons: implications in olefin metathesis (1968–19 | 95 | ||
| 5.3 Starting with binaphthol chemistry: BINAL-H asymmetric reductions (1976–1980) | 100 | ||
| 5.4 Determination of the enantiomeric ratio in the 1970s | 103 | ||
| 5.5 Prostaglandin synthesis (1976–1989) | 105 | ||
| Long sought, general three-component coupling synthesis | 106 | ||
| Versatile vicinal carba-condensation of α,β-unsaturated ketones | 110 | ||
| Prostaglandin analogues | 111 | ||
| 5.6 Transition metal catalyzed transformations of endoperoxides and epoxides (1979–1990) | 115 | ||
| Launching the IUPAC OMCOS symposium series | 117 | ||
| 5.7 Chemistry of enolates: stereoselectivity in aldol reactions (the mid-1970s–the late 1990s) | 119 | ||
| 5.8 Catalysis with organic and inorganic silicon compounds (1979–1988) | 122 | ||
| 5.9 Nucleic acid synthesis employing organometallic chemistry (1983–1992) | 126 | ||
| 5.10 Organometallic asymmetric alkylation (1983–1985) | 130 | ||
| 5.11 Nonclassical chemistry with the oldest organometallics: Chirality transfer, multiplication, an | 132 | ||
| Catalytic organozinc chemistry | 132 | ||
| Nonlinear effects in asymmetric alkylation | 136 | ||
| Two great masters who guided a wandering chemist | 139 | ||
| Sir Derek Barton, a paternal presence | 139 | ||
| Respect for Albert Eschenmoser (1925–2023) | 142 | ||
| References for chapter 5 | 143 | ||
| 6 BINAP for Asymmetric Catalysis | 145 | ||
| 6.1 Axially dissymmetric BINAP—why and how? (1974–1977) | 147 | ||
| 6.2 Asymmetric synthesis of amino acids by BINAP-Rh(I) catalyzed AH (1977–1980) | 151 | ||
| Henri Kagan—A descendant of Louis Pasteur | 155 | ||
| 6.3 A gift in return: Industrial asymmetric menthol synthesis (1982) | 157 | ||
| 6.4 Chiral molecular catalysts: beyond their shape (1986–2003) | 161 | ||
| 6.5 Switching from Rh to Ru catalysts in asymmetric hydrogenation (1986–) | 162 | ||
| 6.5.1 General asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins: significance of metallic elements | 163 | ||
| 6.5.2 AH of functionalized ketones | 169 | ||
| Effect of anionic ligands on reactivity | 169 | ||
| Wide scope of the substrates | 172 | ||
| Importance of solvents for selectivity: dynamic kinetic resolution | 175 | ||
| References for chapter 6 | 176 | ||
| 7 My way to green catalysis | 179 | ||
| 7.1 The ERATO project with generous funding (1991–1996) | 181 | ||
| Synthesis of polyacetylenes | 181 | ||
| 7.2 Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (1992–1996) | 182 | ||
| 7.2.1 The discovery of an unimagined catalytic system | 184 | ||
| The NH effect | 185 | ||
| Catalytic mechanism | 185 | ||
| 7.2.2 An ideal asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines | 188 | ||
| 7.2.3 Transfer hydrogenation/hydrogenation network | 191 | ||
| 7.3 Advent of Ru-BINAP/diamine catalysts for AH (1995–) | 191 | ||
| 7.3.1 My personal view on mechanistic complexity | 193 | ||
| 7.3.2 Discovery of high reactivity in 1995 | 194 | ||
| 7.3.3 General AH of simple ketones and its mechanism | 196 | ||
| AH of aromatic and hetero-aromatic ketones | 196 | ||
| AH of amino ketones | 197 | ||
| AH of conjugated enones | 199 | ||
| 7.3.4 High flexibility of the molecular catalyst system | 203 | ||
| Catalyst design to cope with the substrate diversity | 203 | ||
| Asymmetric activation | 205 | ||
| Kinetic discrimination of enantiomeric ketones | 206 | ||
| Asymmetric hydrogenation of further difficult substrates | 208 | ||
| Sympathy with Jack Halpern | 210 | ||
| 7.4 Green chemistry: A responsible science for future generations (1992–) | 211 | ||
| 7.4.1 Replacing metal hydrides by hydrogen (1995–) | 212 | ||
| Chemoselective hydrogenation | 212 | ||
| Diastereoselective hydrogenation | 214 | ||
| 7.4.2 Supercritical carbon dioxide as green catalysis medium (1992–1996) | 214 | ||
| 7.4.3 Green oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (1996–2003) | 219 | ||
| Alcohol oxidation | 220 | ||
| Oxidation of sulfides | 223 | ||
| Olefin epoxidation | 223 | ||
| 7.5 Asymmetric catalysis in the real world | 229 | ||
| References for chapter 7 | 233 | ||
| 8 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2001) | 235 | ||
| 8.1 A phone call from the Swedish Academy of Sciences | 237 | ||
| 8.2 The Nobel Week in Stockholm | 239 | ||
| 8.3 Nobel Symposia on Asymmetric Synthesis | 245 | ||
| 8.4 A tribute to K. Barry Sharpless | 247 | ||
| 8.5 How I was honored | 248 | ||
| 8.6 Molecular beauty of BINAP | 248 | ||
| 8.7 Cultural heritage nurtures scientific creativity | 251 | ||
| References for chapter 8 | 252 | ||
| 9 Noyori, the chemist and Japanese citizen | 253 | ||
| 9.1 Born and raised in Japan | 255 | ||
| Being an “only one” creator | 255 | ||
| Working with a group of talented collaborators | 257 | ||
| Research seminars on Saturdays | 262 | ||
| Meeting Hirata’s expectations | 263 | ||
| The tradition of natural products organic chemistry | 264 | ||
| Creating a good education and research environment for Nagoya University | 268 | ||
| 9.2 Expressing my gratitude to my allies | 270 | ||
| 9.3 Leading The Society of Organic Synthesis, Japan | 272 | ||
| 9.4 The role of awards in science | 275 | ||
| 9.5 The Emperor as a scientist | 276 | ||
| 9.6 Roles in academic administration and my Presidency at RIKEN | 280 | ||
| My Presidency at RIKEN (2003–2015) | 281 | ||
| My memories with Tsung-Dao Lee and Hideki Yukawa | 283 | ||
| Moving to the Japan Science and Technology Agency | 285 | ||
| 9.7 Nothing comes from nothing—thoughts about the future | 285 | ||
| Paradigm change from science and technology (ST) to science, technology and innovation (STI) | 285 | ||
| Our very modest contributions to the SDGs | 288 | ||
| 9.8 My message to students and young researchers: interdisciplinary research and collective knowled | 291 | ||
| Knowledge of ignorance. | 291 | ||
| Interdisciplinarity. | 291 | ||
| Collective knowledge. | 292 | ||
| References for chapter 9 | 292 | ||
| Appendix | 293 | ||
| Epilogue—Facts are the enemy of truth | 295 | ||
| Author’s Family | 297 | ||
| Promotion to Professor and Marriage (1972) | 297 | ||
| Acknowledgement | 299 | ||
| Afterword by Eiji Noyori—The art of hexagons: memories with my father | 300 | ||
| My illustrated reference book cut into pieces | 300 | ||
| Creativity to draw on a blank sheet of paper | 300 | ||
| Encountering the demon sergeant for once | 301 | ||
| A father-son press conference | 302 | ||
| To end with | 303 | ||
| Glossary | 305 | ||
| Abbreviations | 306 | ||
| Vita | 308 | ||
| Chemistree | 310 | ||
| Holographs | 313 | ||
| Publications | 316 | ||
| Table of contents | 332 | ||
| Links and literature | 339 | ||
| Image sources | 341 | ||
| Index | 342 | ||
| Reactions / The Series | 347 |