Graduate School of Engineering of Nagoya University, Japan
🎓 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara was born on April 26, 1963, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He completed his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Engineering at Nagoya University under the supervision of Professor Hisashi Yamamoto. 🌏 He was a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1987, and a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University under Professor E. J. Corey from 1991 to 1992. Since 2002, he has been a full professor at Nagoya University’s Department of Biotechnology. 🏅 Prof. Ishihara’s work has earned him numerous accolades, including the JSPS Prize, the IBM Science Prize, and the Chemistry Leader Award 2023. His research focuses on developing catalytic organic reactions for green chemistry, with significant contributions in designing chiral Brønsted acid–Lewis acid combined catalysts, superacids, and hypervalent iodine catalysts. 🧪 He has published 289 original papers, 139 review articles, and holds 87 patents. Additionally, Prof. Ishihara is actively involved in editorial roles for several scientific journals, including the Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry.
Professional Profile:
Education
🎓 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara completed his entire higher education at Nagoya University in Japan. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree (1982-1986), followed by a Master of Engineering (1986-1988), and finally a Doctor of Engineering (1988-1991), all under the supervision of Professor Hisashi Yamamoto. 🌏 During his doctoral studies, he was a visiting scholar for three months in 1987 at the University of California, Berkeley, under Professor Clayton H. Heathcock. His doctoral thesis was titled “Studies on Stereoselective Reactions of Acetals.”
Professional Experience
🏢 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara began his professional career as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University under Professor E. J. Corey from 1991 to 1992. He then returned to Nagoya University, where he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry (1992-1994) and later in the Department of Biotechnology (1994-1997). 🧪 He was promoted to Associate Professor at the Research Center of Waste and Emission Management (1997-2001) and subsequently in the Department of Biotechnology (2001-2002). Since 2002, he has held the position of Full Professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering at Nagoya University. Throughout his career, Prof. Ishihara has made significant contributions to the field of green chemistry and the design of innovative catalysts.
Research Interest
🔬 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara has dedicated his research to the advancement of catalytic organic reactions and processes with a strong emphasis on green chemistry. His work spans several key areas, including the design of chiral Brønsted acid–Lewis acid combined catalysts, superacids, and hypervalent iodine catalysts. 🧪 He has also focused on developing dehydrative condensation catalysts, artificial cyclases for synthesizing optically active polycyclic terpenoids, and recoverable and reusable catalysts. 🧬 Since 2009, his research has extended to supramolecular acid–base combined catalysts. Prof. Ishihara’s innovative contributions aim to create environmentally benign synthetic methods, enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of chemical processes.
Award and Honor
🏆 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara has received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout his illustrious career. Early in his career, he was awarded the JSPS Fellowship for Japanese Junior Scientists (1988-1991) and the Yamada Science Foundation Fellowship for Studying Abroad (1991-1992). 🥇 His groundbreaking research earned him the 10th Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists (1994) and the 45th Young Chemist Award from the Chemical Society of Japan (1996). He has also been honored with the 21st Japan IBM Science Prize (2007), the 27th Inoue Prize for Science (2011), and the Chemistry Leader Award 2023. 📜 Other notable accolades include multiple Asian Core Program Lectureship Awards, the SSOCJ Daiichi-Sankyo Award for Medicinal Organic Chemistry (2012), the Yazaki Academic Award (2013), and the CSJ Award (2017). 🌟 Prof. Ishihara’s commitment to green chemistry and innovative catalyst design has cemented his reputation as a leading figure in his field, earning him fellowships and awards from esteemed organizations worldwide.
Research Skills
🧑🔬 🧬 Prof. Dr. Kazuaki Ishihara is renowned for his exceptional research skills in the field of organic chemistry, particularly in developing innovative catalytic processes. He excels in the design and synthesis of chiral Brønsted acid–Lewis acid combined catalysts, superacids, and hypervalent iodine catalysts. 🧪 His expertise extends to creating dehydrative condensation catalysts and artificial cyclases for the synthesis of optically active polycyclic terpenoids. 🧬 Prof. Ishihara is adept at designing recoverable and reusable catalysts, as well as supramolecular acid–base combined catalysts. His comprehensive approach to research, which emphasizes environmental sustainability, has led to significant advancements in green chemistry and the development of efficient, eco-friendly synthetic methods.
Publications
- Asymmetric direct aldol reaction assisted by water and a proline‐derived tetrazole catalyst
🧑🔬 H Torii, M Nakadai, K Ishihara, S Saito, H Yamamoto
📰 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 43 (15), 1983-1986
📅 2004
🔢 674 citations
- 3, 4, 5-Trifluorobenzeneboronic acid as an extremely active amidation catalyst
🧑🔬 K Ishihara, S Ohara, H Yamamoto
📰 The Journal of Organic Chemistry 61 (13), 4196-4197
📅 1996
🔢 584 citations
- Scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate as an extremely active Lewis acid catalyst in acylation of alcohols with acid anhydrides and mixed anhydrides
🧑🔬 K Ishihara, M Kubota, H Kurihara, H Yamamoto
📰 The Journal of Organic Chemistry 61 (14), 4560-4567
📅 1996
🔢 539 citations
- Enantioselective Kita oxidative spirolactonization catalyzed by in situ generated chiral hypervalent iodine (III) species
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, T Yasui, K Ishihara
📰 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 12 (49), 2175-2177
📅 2010
🔢 487 citations
- Quaternary ammonium (hypo) iodite catalysis for enantioselective oxidative cycloetherification
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, H Okamoto, T Yasui, K Ishihara
📰 Science 328 (5984), 1376-1379
📅 2010
🔢 448 citations
- Enantioselective halocyclization of polyprenoids induced by nucleophilic phosphoramidites
🧑🔬 A Sakakura, A Ukai, K Ishihara
📰 Nature 445 (7130), 900-903
📅 2007
🔢 404 citations
- Direct condensation of carboxylic acids with alcohols catalyzed by hafnium (IV) salts
🧑🔬 K Ishihara, S Ohara, H Yamamoto
📰 Science 290 (5494), 1140-1142
📅 2000
🔢 395 citations
- 2-Iodoxybenzenesulfonic acid as an extremely active catalyst for the selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and enones with oxone
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, M Akakura, K Ishihara
📰 Journal of the American Chemical Society 131 (1), 251-262
📅 2009
🔢 370 citations
- In situ generated (hypo) iodite catalysts for the direct α‐oxyacylation of carbonyl compounds with carboxylic acids
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, D Suzuki, T Yasui, K Ishihara
📰 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 23 (50), 5331-5334
📅 2011
🔢 369 citations
- Highly enantioselective catalytic Diels-Alder addition promoted by a chiral bis (oxazoline)-magnesium complex
🧑🔬 EJ Corey, K Ishihara
📰 Tetrahedron Letters 33 (45), 6807-6810
📅 1992
🔢 368 citations
- Scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate as an extremely active acylation catalyst
🧑🔬 K Ishihara, M Kubota, H Kurihara, H Yamamoto
📰 Journal of the American Chemical Society 117 (15), 4413-4414
📅 1995
🔢 329 citations
- Hypervalent iodine-mediated oxidation of alcohols
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, K Ishihara
📰 Chemical Communications, 2086-2099
📅 2009
🔢 307 citations
- A new chiral BLA promoter for asymmetric aza Diels-Alder and Aldol-type reactions of imines
🧑🔬 K Ishihara, M Miyata, K Hattori, T Tada, H Yamamoto
📰 Journal of the American Chemical Society 116 (23), 10520-10524
📅 1994
🔢 283 citations
- Widely useful DMAP-catalyzed esterification under auxiliary base-and solvent-free conditions
🧑🔬 A Sakakura, K Kawajiri, T Ohkubo, Y Kosugi, K Ishihara
📰 Journal of the American Chemical Society 129 (47), 14775-14779
📅 2007
🔢 281 citations
- Catalysis with in situ‐generated (hypo) iodite ions for oxidative coupling reactions
🧑🔬 M Uyanik, K Ishihara
📰 ChemCatChem 4 (2), 177-185
📅 2012
🔢 270 citations