Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Awards

Phil S. Baran

Richard Lerner Chair Professor of Chemistry Scripps Research

"Simplifying Synthesis Through Catalytic Radical Cross-Coupling"

Dr. Phil S. Baran is a leading researcher in the fields of catalysis and synthetic organic chemistry, recognized for pioneering unique catalytic systems that control single-electron transfer. Notably, he developed "catalytic radical cross-coupling" methods that directly generate radical species from readily available starting materials such as carboxylic acids. Eschewing reliance on scarce precious metals, he skillfully integrated abundant base-metal catalysts like iron and nickel with electrocatalytic processes at electrode interfaces, establishing highly robust and universally reproducible reaction platforms. He was highly commended for establishing these practical approaches, which assemble complex molecular structures with minimal steps through straightforward catalytic transformations.

Karthish Manthiram

Bren Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry California Institute of Technology

"Heterogeneous Electrocatalysis from Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen, and Water Feedstocks"

Dr. Karthish Manthiram is a world-leading researcher in the development of environmentally sustainable electrochemical reaction systems. In particular, he has made significant contributions to the advancement of sustainable chemical transformations through pioneering achievements, including the establishment of lithium-mediated electrochemical ammonia synthesis systems, the realization of electrochemical hydroformylation, and the development of electrochemical propylene epoxidation utilizing oxygen derived from water.

Yang Yang

Associate Professor University of California, Santa Barbara

"Biocatalytic Strategies for Stereoselective Radical-Mediated Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation"

Dr. Yang Yang has pioneered new biocatalytic strategies with artificially evolving enzymes as biocatalysts that enable highly reactive and difficult-to-control radical-mediated carbon–carbon bond formation to proceed with precise stereoselectivity. In particular, his work has realized a variety of de novo molecular transformations including radical cyclization and aromatic functionalization using metalloenzymes and light-induced radical generation and control within the finely organized reaction space of enzymes. This research opens new possibilities for the sustainable synthesis of complex, high-value molecules under mild conditions and thereby significantly contributes to the future development of catalysis science and precision molecular synthesis.