Winners of the "2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award"

December 6,2010
Mitsui Chemicals,Inc.

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (MCI) announces the winners of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Awards.” This award was established in 2004 with the aim of contributing to the sustainable development of chemistry and the chemical industry by recognizing researchers who have made outstanding achievements in catalysis science. The first winners were awarded in March 2005.

Winner of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Professor David W. C. MacMillan Princeton University Born in 1968 “Development of Organocatalysis”
Prof. David W. C. MacMillan has developed the concepts of “Organocatalysis”, especially for asymmetric synthesis, and realized environmentally benign nonmetallic catalysts that have a practical value and play a central role in the organocatalysis field.

Winners of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Associate Professor Kazuya Yamaguchi The University of Tokyo Born in 1974 “Development of Highly Active Heterogeneous Catalysts Based on the Properties of Metal Hydroxides”	Associate Professor Hideki Yorimitsu Kyoto University Born in 1975 “Development of Palladium-Ctalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Allylation of Organic Halides with Homoallyl Alcohols”
Dr. Kazuya Yamaguchi has introduced new molecular design concept in the field of Heterogeneous Catalysts, and clarified that an efficient organic synthesis can be achieved by supported ruthenium hydroxide catalysts. This was realized with well-known materials by his excellent point of observation, and will be widely used in the future.	Dr. Hideki Yorimitsu has achieved an efficient cross-coupling reaction by palladium catalysts with skillfully designed neutral molecules such as homoallyl alcohols in place of commonly used active organometal compounds. This method is regarded as a breakthrough in the field of environmentally benign catalytic science.

An award ceremony will be held and commemorative lectures by the winners will be given during “The Fifth Mitsui Chemical International Symposium on Catalysis Science (MICS2011)” on March 9 and 10, at Kazusa Akademia Hall in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Please refer to the release “Mitsui Chemicals to Host The Fifth Mitsui Chemicals International Symposium on Catalysis Science (MICS2011)” for details on MICS2011.

Summary of the “2011 Mitsui Chemical Catalysis Science Award and the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

1. “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Research Field: Polymerization catalysts, fine synthesis catalysts and other catalysts contributing to environmental protection
Eligibility: Researchers (aged 45 years or younger as of April 1, 2010) belonging to institutions of higher learning or public research institutes with outstanding achievements
Prize: Commemorative plaque and cash prize of 5 million yen

2. “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Research Field: See “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”
Eligibility: Researchers (aged 35 years or younger as of April 1, 2010) belonging to institutions of higher learning or public research institutes with original achievements
Prize: Commemorative plaque and cash prize of 1 million yen

Reference

<Winners in 2005>

“2005 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Professor Eric N. Jacobsen Harvard University	Professor Shu Kobayashi The University of Tokyo
“General Asymmetric Catalysts for Oxidation, Hydrolysis and C-C Bond-forming Reactions”	“Development of Novel Catalysts Directed toward Environmentally Benign Organic Synthesis”

“2005 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Associate Professor Ryoichi Kuwano Kyushu University	Assistant Professor Kenichiro Itami Kyoto University
“Development of New Asymmetric Catalysis and Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions”	“Removable Directing Group Strategy in Metal Catalysis”

<Winners in 2007>

“2007 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Chief Scientist Zhaomin Hou RIKEN	Professor Gregory C. Fu Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“Development of Polymerization Reactions Based on New Organo Rare Earth Metal Catalysts”	“Coupling Reactions and Asymmetric Synthesis Based on Novel Catalyst Designs”

“2007 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Assistant Professor Jun Terao Osaka University	Assistant Professor Michael C.W. Chan City University of Hong Kong
“Carbon Bond Formation Reactions Using Anionic Transition Metal Complexes as the Key Catalytic Intermediates”	“Importance of Weak Attractive Polymer-Ligand Interactions in Olefin Polymerization Catalysis”

<Winners in 2009>

“2009 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Professor John F. Hartwig University of Illinois	Professor Kyoko Nozaki The University of Tokyo
“Development of New Practical Catalytic Reactions Including Efficient C-H Bond Activation and Coupling Reactions”	“Development of Novel Catalytic Reactions for Coordination Copolymerization of Polar Monomers”

“2009 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Lecturer Shigeki Matsunaga The University of Tokyo	Assistant Professor Yoshiaki Nakao Kyoto University
“Development of Multimetallic Asymmetric Catalysis through Chiral Ligand Design”	“Development of Cooperative Metal Catalysis for C-C Bond Forming Addition Reactions”

Affiliations and titles are of those at the time of award.

Photographs of the Winners of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award” and the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Winner of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”

Professor David W. C. MacMillan Princeton University

Winners of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award of Encouragement”

Associate Professor Kazuya Yamaguchi The University of Tokyo	Associate Professor Hideki Yorimitsu Kyoto University

Attachment

Winners of the “2011 Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award”(PDF:86KB)