Ryoji Noyori (野依良治) (born September 3, 1938) won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001. September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... List of Nobel Prize laureates in Chemistry from 1901 to the present day. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey 2001 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Noyori shared half of the prize with William S. Knowles for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations; the second half of the Prize went to K. Barry Sharpless for his study in chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions (Sharpless epoxidation). William S. Knowles (born June 1, 1917) is a American chemist. ... Karl Barry Sharpless (born April 28, 1941) is a chemist renowned for his work on organometallic chemistry. ... Sharpless epoxidation is a chemical reaction of an allylic alcohol with t-butylperoxide and titanium tetraisopropylate to form an epoxide. ...

Ryoji Noyori was born in Kobe, Japan. He became fascinated with chemistry at the age of 12, after hearing a presentation on nylon. He saw the power of chemistry as being the ability to "make high values from almost nothing". He became a student at Kyoto University, working as an instructor in the research group of Hotosi Nozaki before being appointed associate professor at Nagoya University. After postdoctoral work with Elias J. Corey at Harvard he returned to Nagoya, becoming a full professor in 1972. He is still based at Nagoya, though he is also now president of Riken, a multi-site national research initiative with an annual budget of $800 million. Port Tower at night Kōbe (Japanese: 神戸市; -shi) is a city in Japan, located on the island of Honshu. ... This article covers the material nylon. ... Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan (京都大学 Kyōto Daigaku; abbreviated to 京大 Kyōdai) is the second oldest university of Japan and one of leading national universities having a total of roughly 22,000 students. ... Nagoya University (名古屋大学 Nagoya Daigaku, abbreviated to 名大 MÄ“dai; Tokyos Meiji Universitys 明大 is pronounced identically) is a Japanese national university in Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, and is considered by some to be one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. ... Elias James Corey (born July 12, 1928) is an American organic chemist. ... Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ...

Noyori believes strongly in the power of catalysis and of green chemistry; in a recent article he argues for the pursuit of "practical elegance in synthesis".^[1] In this article he states that "our ability to devise straightforward and practical chemical syntheses is indispensable to the survival of our species." Elsewhere he has said that "Research is for nations and mankind, not for researchers themselves." He encourages scientists to be politically active- "Researchers must spur public opinions and government policies toward constructing the sustainable society in the 21st century."^[2] In chemistry and biology, catalysis is the acceleration of the reaction rate of a chemical reaction by means of a substance, called a catalyst, that is itself unchanged chemically by the overall reaction. ... Green Chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. ... Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, according to Our Common Future, a 1987 report from the UN. One of the factors which sustainable development must overcome is environmental degradation. ...

Chemistry

Noyori is most famous for asymmetric hydrogenation using as catalysts complexes of rhodium and ruthenium, particularly those based on the BINAP ligand. Asymmetric hydrogenation of an alkene in the presence of ((S)-BINAP)Ru(OAc)₂ is used for the commercial production of enantiomerically pure (97% ee) naproxen, used as an anti-inflammatory drug. The anti-bacterial agent levofloxacin is manufactured by asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones in the presence of a Ru(II) BINAP halide complex. A catalyst (Greek: καταλύτης, catalytÄ“s) is a substance that accelerates the rate (speed) of a chemical reaction without itself being transformed or consumed by the reaction (see also catalysis). ... A complex in chemistry and biochemistry is a reversible association of molecules, atoms, or ions through weak non-covalent chemical bonds. ... Rh redirects here. ... General Name, Symbol, Number ruthenium, Ru, 44 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 5, d Appearance silvery white metallic Atomic mass 101. ... BINAP is an acronym used for 2,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1-binaphthyl, an important compound used in chiral synthesis. ... In chemistry, a ligand is an atom, ion or functional group that is bonded to one or more central atoms or ions, usually metals generally through co-ordinate covalent bond. ... Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction in which unsaturated bonds between carbon atoms are reduced by attachment of a hydrogen atom to each carbon. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ... BINAP is an acronym used for 2,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1-binaphthyl, an important compound used in chiral synthesis. ... Acetate, or ethanoate, is the anion of a salt or ester of acetic acid. ... In chemistry two stereoisomers are said to be enantiomers if one can be superimposed on the mirror image of the other. ... Naproxen (trade names: Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Naprelan) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used for the reduction of mild to moderate pain, fever, inflammation and stiffness caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, injury, menstrual cramps, tendinitis, bursitis, and the treatment... Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance that reduces inflammation. ... An antiseptic is a substance that kills or prevents the growth and reproduction of various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses on the external surfaces of the body. ... Levofloxacin is relatively new fluoroquinolone antibiotic, marketed by Ortho-McNeil under the brand name Levaquin. ... Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction in which unsaturated bonds between carbon atoms are reduced by attachment of a hydrogen atom to each carbon. ... A ketone is either the functional group characterized by a carbonyl group linked to two other carbon atoms or a compound that contains this functional group. ...

He has also worked on other asymmetric processes. Each year 400 000 tonnes of menthol are produced (in 94% ee) by Takasago International Co., using Noyori's method for isomerisation of allylic amines. A tonne (also called metric ton) is a non-SI unit of mass, accepted for use with SI, defined as: 1 tonne = 103 kg (= 106 g). ... Menthol is a covalent organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. ... In chemistry two stereoisomers are said to be enantiomers if one can be superimposed on the mirror image of the other. ... In chemistry, isomerization is the transformation of a molecule into a different isomer. ... H2C=CH-CH2- --- This is allyl carbon chain CH2=CH- --- This is vinyl carbon chain The link below gives a better understanding of allyl carbon. ... Ammonia Amines are organic compounds containing nitrogen as the key atom in the amine functional group. ...

Image File history File links Process for the manufacture of (-)-menthol from myrcene. ...

More recently he and Jessop have developed an industrial process for the manufacture of N,N-dimethylformamide from hydrogen, dimethylamine and supercritical carbon dioxide in the presence of RuCl₂(PMe₃)₄ as catalyst.^[3] Dimethylformamide, also known under the names N,N-dimethylformamide and DMF, is a clear, water-miscible liquid and common solvent that is often used in chemical reactions. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ... Safety (MSDS) data for dimethylamine General Synonyms: N-methyl-methanamine Molecular formula: C2H7N CAS No: 124-40-3 EINECS No: 204-697-4 EC index no: 612-001-00-9 Physical data Appearance: colourless gas with strong ammonia-like smell Melting point: -92 C Boiling point: 7. ... This article is about nuclear technology. ... Carbon dioxide is an atmospheric gas composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... General Name, Symbol, Number ruthenium, Ru, 44 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 5, d Appearance silvery white metallic Atomic mass 101. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ... In chemistry a methyl-group is a hydrophobic Alkyl functional group which is derived from methane (CH4). ...

External links

• Ryoji Noyori Nobel lecture (2001)
• T. J. Colacot, Platinum Metals Review 2002, 46(2), 82-83.
• Keynote speech by Ryoji Noyori

References

1. R. Noyori, Pursuing practical elegance in chemical synthesis, Chemical Communications, 2005, (14), 1807 - 1811. Abstract
2. Keynote address, June 23rd, 2005, at the Second International Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Washington DC.
3. P. G. Jessop; W. Leitner (Eds.), Chemical Synthesis using Supercritical Fluids, VCH/Wiley, Weinheim, 1999.