Research Should Be Fresh, Simple, and Clear

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.

List of contents

Essentials

Prologue

1  Where did I come from?

1.1  Memories of my childhood

1.2  A mischievous city kid

1.3  Helping in the family

1.4  My parents

1.5  My admiration for Professor Yukawa

1.6  Feeling the power of chemistry

1.7  The importance of physical strength and academic capability
2  Entering Kyoto University in the Sputnik Year

2.1  Moving from Kobe to Kyoto in 1957

2.2  Joining Keiiti Sisido's laboratory of organic chemistry in 1960

2.3  My first research topic: o-xylylene chemistry (1960¿-¿1966)

2.4  The "immortal Noyori" survives an explosion.

2.5  Reflecting on Japan's organic chemistry in the early 1960s

2.6  Implications of molecular catalysis

2.7  Asymmetric catalysis with chiral organometallic molecular compounds

2.8  Birth of asymmetric catalysis with chiral organometallic compounds (1966¿-¿1968)

2.9  The asymmetric carbene reaction

2.10  Challenging a famous statement of Louis Pasteur

2.11  Primitive asymmetric organometallic alkylation (1968¿-¿1971)

2.12  Photochemistry of cyclic enones (1965¿-¿1975)

2.13  Receiving my PhD (Dr. Eng.) degree

2.14  Kyoto's Hanamachi district as a cultural classroom
3  Starting an Independent Career at Nagoya University

3.1  An invitation from Nagoya University

3.2  Meeting a giant in natural products organic chemistry

3.3  My memories with Satoru Masamune

3.4  Launching the Noyori Laboratory (1968)

3.5  Photo-induced Nazarov chemistry (1968¿-¿1975)

3.6  Lessons of transition-metal effects on reactive intermediates (1968)
4  A postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University

4.1  Joining E. J. Corey's group at Harvard (1969¿-¿70)

4.2  Prostaglandin synthesis and hydrogenation

4.3  My astonishment in encountering world-leading chemists

4.4  Experiencing the stimulating American society

4.5  A memorable one-month vacation

4.6  My lab in Japan
5  Three decades of OMCOS research at Nagoya

5.1  Fe carbonyl-promoted [3+4] and [3+2] cyclo-coupling reactions (1968¿-¿1984)

5.2  Transition metal catalysis of strained hydrocarbons: implications in olefin metathesis (1968¿-¿1982)

5.3  Starting with binaphthol chemistry: BINAL-H asymmetric   reductions (1976¿-¿1980)

5.4  Determination of the enantiomeric ratio in the 1970s

5.5  Prostaglandin synthesis (1976¿-¿1989)

5.6  Transition metal catalyzed transformations of endoperoxides and epoxides (1979¿-¿1990)

5.7  Chemistry of enolates: stereoselectivity in aldol reactions (the mid-1970s¿-¿the late 1990s)

5.8  Catalysis with organic and inorganic silicon compounds (1979¿-¿1988)

5.9  Nucleic acid synthesis employing organometallic chemistry (1983¿-¿1992)

5.10  Organometallic asymmetric alkylation (1983¿-¿1985)

5.11  Nonclassical chemistry with the oldest organometallics: Chirality transfer, multiplication, and amplification (1986¿-¿2000)
6  BINAP for Asymmetric Catalysis

6.1  Axially dissymmetric BINAP¿-¿why and how? (1974¿-¿1977)

6.2  Asymmetric synthesis of amino acids by BINAP-Rh(I) catalyzed AH (1977¿-¿1980): A momentary joy followed by a nightmare

6.3  A gift in return: Industrial asymmetric menthol synthesis (1982)     157

6.4  Chiral molecular catalysts: Beyond their shape (1986¿-¿2003)

6.5  Switching from Rh to Ru catalysts in asymmetric hydrogenation (since 1986)

6.5.1  General asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins: Significance of metallic elements

6.5.2  AH of functionalized ketones
7  My way to green catalysis

7.1  The ERATO project with generous funding (1991¿-¿1996)

7.2  Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (1992¿-¿1996)

7.3  Advent of Ru-BINAP/diamine catalysts for AH (1995¿-¿)

7.4  Green chemistry: A responsible science for future generations (1992¿-¿)

7.5  Asymmetric catalysis in the real world
8  The Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2001)

8.1  A phone call from the Swedish Academy of Sciences

8.2  The Nobel Week in Stockholm

8.3  Nobel Symposia on Asymmetric Synthesis

8.4  A tribute to K. Barry Sharpless

8.5  How I was honored

8.6  Molecular beauty of BINAP

8.7  Cultural heritage nurtures scientific creativity
9  Noyori, the chemist and Japanese citizen

9.1  Born and raised in Japan

9.2  Expressing my gratitude to my allies

9.3  Leading The Society of Organic Synthesis, Japan

9.4  The role of awards in science

9.5  The Emperor as a scientist

9.6  Roles in academic administration and my Presidency at RIKEN

9.7  Nothing comes from nothing¿-¿thoughts about the future

9.8  My message to students and young researchers:
Appendix

Epilogue¿-¿Facts are the enemy of truth

Author's Family

Acknowledgement

Afterword by Eiji Noyori¿-¿The art of hexagons: memories with my father

Glossary

Abbreviations

Vita

Chemistree

Holographs

Publications

Table of contents

Links and literature

Image sources

Index

About the author

1968 Appointed Associate Professor at Nagoya University.
1969 Conducted postdoctoral research under Elias J. Corey at Harvard University.
1972 Became Full Professor at Nagoya University.
2000-2003 Served as Director of the Research Center for Materials Science at Nagoya University.
2001 Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work on chirally catalyzed hydrogenation reactions.
2003-2015 Served as President of RIKEN, Japan's largest research institution.

Product details

• Authors: Ryoji Noyori
• Publisher: Gnt- Verlag
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 01.06.2025, delayed
• EAN: 9783862251353
• ISBN: 978-3-86225-135-3
• No. of pages: 346
• Dimensions: 170 mm x 240 mm x 50 mm
• Weight: 1200 g
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > Nature, technology > Biographies, autobiographies