Research Interests:

Two or multiple organic molecules interact with each other, using coordination bonding, hydrogen bonding, or any other hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. My research interests are focusing on how to create a novel combination across such interactive molecules, which would be expanding to new chemical and physical functions and/or catalytic activities presently unknown. Among those interactions, for example, Lewis acids and bases form coordination bonding, thereby promoting effective organic transformations; cooperatively arranged Watson-Crick base pairs comprise multiple hydrogen bonding, leading to a helical structure of poly(nucleic acids) and serving as bio-informatics. Molecular recognition plays a significant role in such systems, by which organic molecules show a specific function. Participation of both coordination and hydrogen bondings in molecular assembly would be expected to have potential to induce remarkable binding properties that lead to new catalysis and functions but is virtually unexplored. Toward this goal, design and synthesis of hitherto unknown organic compounds and molecular catalysts, as well as control of structure and functions of each molecule and/or their assembly, are among the current great interests.

Selected Recent Publications

 

​

(PNCP)Ir vs (PNNP)Ir: Neutral Iridium Complex for Direct Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids [Front Cover]

Koichiro Nishimoto, Naoki Noto, Yohei Kametani, Bendik Gro̷mer, Chihaya Murata, Hiroko Okuwa, Yoshihito Shiota, Kazunari Yoshizawa, Susumu Saito*

Organometallics, ASAP (2024). (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03683) [PDF]

 

PdPt/SrTiO3:Al-catalysed redox-selective photoreduction of unsaturated carboxylic acids using minimal electron-donor and water [Chem. Commun. 60th Anniversary Collection] [Inside Front Cover]

Shogo Mori,* Farzaneh Soleymani Movahed, Sha Xue, Yuji Sakai, Daling Lu, Takashi Hisatomi, Kazunari Domen, Susumu Saito*

Chem. Commun., ASAP (2024). (DOI: 10.1039/D4CC03791J) [PDF]

 

Ferrocenyl PNNP Ligands-Controlled Chromium Complex-Catalyzed Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Formic Acid

Taku Wakabayashi, Yohei Kametani, Eimi Tanahashi, Yoshihito Shiota, Kazunari Yoshizawa, Jieun Jung,* Susumu Saito*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 146, 25963 (2024). (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03683) [PDF]

 

Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Using an Osmium Complex as a Panchromatic Self-Photosensitized Catalyst: Utilization of Blue, Green, and Red Light

Kenji Kamada, Jieun Jung,* Chihiro Yamada, Taku Wakabayashi, Keita Sekizawa, Shunsuke Sato, Takeshi Morikawa, Shunichi Fukuzumi, Susumu Saito*

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202403886 (2024). (DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403886) [PDF]

 

Hydrogenation of CO2 to MeOH Catalyzed by Highly Robust (PNNP)Ir Complexes Activated by Alkali Bases in Alcohol

Bendik Grømer, *Susumu Saito

Inorg. Chem., 62, 14116–14123 (2023). (DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02412) [PDF]

 

Metal-Loaded Semiconductor-Photocatalysis of Alcohols for Selective Organic Synthesis: A Personal Account

*Shogo Mori, Shu Sakurai, *Hiroshi Naka, *Susumu SAITO

Synlett, 34, 2361–2373 (2023). (DOI: 10.1055/a-2124-4037) [PDF]

 

N-Methylation of Twenty Different α-Amino Acid Motifs Using Methanol under Metal-Loaded Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysis

Yuki Hashiba, Shogo Mori, Ivven Huang, Yuna Morioka, Hiroshi Naka, *Susumu Saito

Asian J. Org. Chem., 12, e202300230 (2023). (DOI: 10.1002/ajoc.202300230) [PDF]

 

Machine-Learning Classification for the Prediction of Catalytic Activity of Organic Photosensitizers in the Nickel(II)-Salt-Induced Synthesis of Phenols

*Naoki Noto, Akira Yada, Takeshi Yanai, *Susumu Saito

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e20221910 (2023). (DOI: 10.1002/anie.202219107) [PDF]

 

Arylamines as More Strongly Reducing Organic Photoredox Catalysts than fac-[Ir(ppy)3]

*Naoki Noto, *Susumu Saito

ACS Catal., 12, 15400 (2022). (DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c05034) [PDF]

[Most Read as of Jan 2023; Highlighted by OPR&D, 2023, 27, 1–9]

 

Sustainable Organic Synthesis Promoted on Titanium Dioxide Using Coordinated Water and Renewable Energies/Resources

*Miho Yamauchi, Hikaru Saito, *Toshiki Sugimoto, Shogo Mori, *Susumu Saito

Coord. Chem. Rev., 472, 214773 (2022). (DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214773) [PDF]

 

Importance of Steric Bulkiness of Iridium Photocatalysts with PNNP Tetradentate Ligands for CO2 Reduction

Kenji Kamada, *Jieun Jung, Yohei Kametani, Taku Wakabayashi, Yoshihito Shiota, Kazunari Yoshizawa, Seong Hee Bae, Manami Muraki, Masayuki Naruto, Keita Sekizawa, Shunsuke Sato, Takeshi Morikawa, *Susumu Saito

Chem. Commun. (Invited in ChemComm “Pioneering Investigators Collection 2022”), 58, 9218–9221 (2022). (DOI: 10.1039/d2cc01701f) [PDF]

 

Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Using an Iron–Bipyridyl Complex Supported by Two Phosphines for Improving Catalyst Durability

Taku Wakabayashi, Kenji Kamada, Keita Sekizawa, Shunsuke Sato, Takeshi Morikawa, *Jieun Jung, *Susumu Saito

Organometallics (Invited in a Special Issue on “Sustainable Organometallic Chemistry”), 41, 1865–1871 (2022). (DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.2c00171) [PDF]

 

Selective Reduction of Carboxylic Acids to Alcohols in the Presence of Alcohols by a Dual Bulky Transition-Metal Complex/Lewis Acid Catalyst

Bendik Grømer, Shota Yoshioka, *Susumu Saito

ACS Catal., 12, 1957 (2022). (DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c04392) [PDF]

[Editor’s Choice & Front Cover; Most Read as of Jan 2023]

 

Phosphorus-Based Organocatalysis for the Dehydrative Cyclization of N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)amides into 2-Oxazolines

Farzaneh Soleymani Movahed, Siong Wan Foo, Shogo Mori, Saeko Ogawa, *Susumu Saito

J. Org. Chem., 87, 1, 243 (2022). (DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c02318) [PDF]

[Organic Chemistry Portal: https://www.organic-chemistry.org/abstracts/lit8/302.shtm; Org. Chem. Highlights, Mar 27, 2023: https://www.organic-chemistry.org/Highlights/2023/27March.shtm]

 

A Highly Durable, Self-Photosensitized Mononuclear Ruthenium Catalyst for CO2 Reduction

Kenji Kamada, Hiroko Okuwa, Taku Wakabayashi, Keita Sekizawa, Shunsuke Sato, Takeshi Morikawa, *Jieun Jung, *Susumu Saito

Synlett. (Invited for a Cluster to honor Prof. Shunichi Fukuzumi on the occasion of his 70th birthday), 33, 1137 (2022). (DOI: 10.1055/a-1709-0280) [PDF]

 

Recent Advances in Light-Driven Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation via Carbon Dioxide Activation

*Jieun Jung, *Susumu Saito

Synthesis, 53, 3263 (2021). (DOI: 10.1055/a-1577-5947; Art ID: ss-2021-f0295-st) [PDF]

 

C(sp3)–H Bond Functionalization with Styrenes via Hydrogen-Atom Transfer to an Aqueous Hydroxyl Radical under Photocatalysis

Shogo Mori, *Susumu Saito

Green Chem. 23, 3575 (2021). (DOI: 10.1039/D1GC00753J). [PDF] (highlighted in back cover)

 

Development of Effective Bidentate Diphosphine Ligands of Ruthenium Catalysts toward Practical Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids

Shota Yoshioka, Ke Wen, *Susumu Saito

Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 94, 1510 (2021). (DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20210023).

(Selected Paper) [PDF] [Inside front cover]

 

Reaction of H2 with Mitochondria-Relevant Metabolites Using a Multifunctional Molecular Catalyst.

Shota Yoshioka, Sota Nimura, Masayuki Naruto, *Susumu Saito

Sci. Adv. 2020, 6, eabc0274 (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc0274). [PDF]

 

PNNP四座配位子をもつ精密金属錯体触媒を用いる再生可能炭素資源の還元法の開発.

Shota Yoshioka, Jieun Jung, *Susumu Saito

J. Syn. Org. Chem. Jpn. 2020, 78, 856–866. [PDF]

 

Tris(o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene as a Promoter for the Formation of Amide Bonds Between Aromatic Acids and Amines

Farzaneh Soleymani Movahed, Dinesh N. Sawant, Dattatraya B. Bagal, and *Susumu Saito

Synthesis 52, A–J (2020). (DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1707174) [PDF]

 

Ag(I)/TiO2-Photocatalyzed N-Methylation of Amino Acids with Methanol

Yuna Morioka, Ivven Huang, *Susumu Saito, and *Hiroshi Naka

ChemRxiv. Preprint (2020). (DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.12588266.v1)

 

Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Using a Robust Multifunctional Iridium Complex toward the Selective Formation of Formic Acid

Kenji Kamada, *Jieun Jung, Taku Wakabayashi, Keita Sekizawa, Shunsuke Sato, Takeshi Morikawa, Shunichi Fukuzumi, and *Susumu Saito

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 10261–10266 (2020). (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c03097) [PDF]

 

Spatiotemporal Control of Amide Radicals During Photocatalysis

Shogo Mori, Takahiro Aoki, Kaliyamoorthy Selvam, Shunichi Fukuzumi, Jieun Jung, and *Susumu Saito

ChemRxiv. Preprint (2020). https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.12040146.v1

 

Reaction of H2 with Mitochondria-Relevant Metabolites Using a Multifunctional Molecular Catalyst

Sota Nimura, Shota Yoshioka, Masayuki Naruto, *Susumu Saito
ChemRxiv. Preprint (2020) https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.11994471.v1

 

Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids Using Low-valent and High-valent Metal Complexes

Shota Yoshioka, *Susumu Saito

Chem. Commun. (Feature Article) (2018), Advance Article (DOI: 10.1039/C8CC06543H) [PDF]

 

Catalytic transformation of functionalized carboxylic acids using multifunctional rhenium complexes.

Masayuki Naruto, Santosh Agrawal, Katsuaki Toda, Susumu Saito*,

Sci. Rep.7, 3425 (2017). doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-03436-y

 

Multifaceted catalytic hydrogenation of amides via diverse activation of a sterically

confined bipyridine–ruthenium framework.

Takashi Miura, Masayuki Naruto,Katsuaki Toda, Taiki Shimomura, Susumu Saito*,

Sci. Rep. 7, 1586 (2017). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-01645-z

 

Cationic Mononuclear Ruthenium Carboxylates as Catalyst Prototypes for Self-induced Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids

Masayuki Naruto, *Susumu Saito

Nat. Commun. 6, 8140 (2015). (doi: 10.1038/ncomms9140)

 

N-Methylation of Amines with Methanol at Room Temperature

Vasily N. Tsarev, Yuna Morioka, Joaquim Caner, Qing Wang, Richiro Ushimaru, Akihiko Kudo, Hiroshi Naka, and Susumu Saito

Org. Lett. 17, 2530–2533 (2015). (doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.5b01063)

 

Synthesis of Propylene from Renewable Allyl Alcohol by Photocatalytic Transfer Hydrogenolysis

Joaquim Caner, Zijun Liu, Yuki Takada, Akihiko Kudo, Hiroshi Naka, and Susumu Saito

Catal. Sci. Technol. 4, 4093–4098 (2014). (doi: 10.1039/C4CY00329B)

 

Redox-Selective Generation of Aldehydes and H2 from Alcohols under Visible Light

Zijun Liu, Joaquim Caner, Akihiko Kudo, Hiroshi Naka, and Susumu Saito

Chem. Eur. J. 19, 9452–9456 (2013). (doi: 10.1002/chem.201301347)

Double Molecular Recognition with Aminoorganoboron Complexes: Selective Alcoholysis of β-Dicarbonyl Derivatives

Shunsuke Oishi, and Susumu Saito

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 5395-5399 (doi: 10.1002/anie.201200304)

Iron/Amino Acid Catalyzed Direct N-Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols

Zhao, Yingsheng, Foo, Siong Wan and Susumu Saito

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 3006-3009 (2011).(DOI: 10.1002/anie.201006660)

 

Importance of Open Structure of Non-metal Based Catalyst in Hydrogen Bond-promoted Methanolysis of Activated Amide: Structure Dynamics between Monomer and Dimer Enabling Recombinant Covalent, Dative, and Hydrogen

Bonds.

Shunsuke Oishi, Junichi Yoshimoto, and Susumu Saito

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 131, 8748–8749 (2009).

 

RhI-catalyzed Hydration of Organonitriles Under Ambient Conditions.

Akihiro Goto, Kohei Endo, and Susumu Saito

Angew. Chem.Int. Ed., 47, 3607–3609 (2008).

Hot Paper; SYNFACTS, 2008; Times cited: 〜90 (as of Sep 1, 2015)

 

Asymmetric Direct Aldol Reaction Assisted by Water and Proline-derived Tetrazole Catalyst.

Hiromi Torii, Masakazu Nakadai, Kazuaki Ishihara, Susumu Saito, and Hisashi Yamamoto

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 43, 1983-1986 (2004).

Times cited: 〜410, in the top 1% within its field(Essential Science IndicatorsSM(as of Sep 1, 2015).