RIKEN ECL Research Team / RIKEN ECL Research Unit Molecular Photocatalysis RIKEN ECL Research Unit

RIKEN ECL Unit Leader: Kei Murata (Ph.D.)

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Research Summary

Photocatalytic reactions are attractive as they can utilize the renewable solar energy and realize molecular transformations that are usually difficult to achieve by thermochemical reactions. Our research unit works on the development of molecular transformation reactions catalyzed by transition-metal complexes using visible/near-infrared light energy. Specifically, we target at photochemical transformation reactions of small molecules such as carbon dioxide and photouncaging reactions that release bioactive molecules, and aim to contribute to solve global issues in the fields of environmental and medical sciences through cross-disciplinary research approaches based on organometallic chemistry, photochemistry, and chemical biology.

Main Research Fields

Chemistry

Related Research Fields

Environmental Science
Complex Systems
Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering
Organic Chemistry
Energy-Related Chemistry
Bio-Related Chemistry

Keywords

Photocatalyst
Organometallic Complex
Small Molecule Activation

Selected Publications

Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.

1. *Murata, K., Saibe, Y., Uchida, M., Aono, M., Misawa, R., Ikeuchi, Y., and Ishii, K.:
"Two-Photon, Red Light Uncaging of Alkyl Radicals from Organorhodium(III) Phthalocyanine Complexes"
Chem. Commun. 58, 11280-11283 (2022).
2. *Murata, K., Koike, Y., and Ishii, K.:
"Novel Method for Preparing Stable Near-Infrared Absorbers: a New Phthalocyanine Family Based on Rhenium(I) Complexes"
Chem. Commun. 56, 13760-13763 (2020).
3. *Murata, K., Numasawa, N., Shimomaki, K., Takaya, J., and Iwasawa, N.:
"Improved Conditions for the Visible-Light Driven Hydrocarboxylation by Rh(I) and Photoredox Dual Catalysts Based on the Mechanistic Analyses"
Front. Chem. 22, 371 (2019).
4. *Murata, K., Tanaka, H., and Ishii, K.:
"Electrochemical Reduction of CO₂ by a Gas-Diffusion Electrode Composed of fac-Re(diimine)(CO)₃Cl and Carbon Nanotubes"
J. Phys. Chem. C, 123, 12073-12080 (2019).
5. *Murata, K., and Ishii, K.:
"Near Infra-Red S₀↔T₁ Transitions of Iridium(III) Phthalocyanine: Degeneracy of the T₁ State Evidenced by Magnetic Circular Dichroism"
Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 44, 5103-5107 (2017).
6. *Shimomaki, K., Murata, K., Martin, R., and Iwasawa, N.:
"Visible-Light-Driven Carboxylation of Aryl Halides by the Combined Use of Palladium and Photoredox Catalysts"
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 139, 9467-9470 (2017).
7. *Murata, K., Numasawa, N., Shimomaki, K., Takaya, J., and Iwasawa, N.:
"Construction of a Visible Light-Driven Hydrocarboxylation Cycle of Alkenes by the Combined Use of Rh(I) and Photoredox Catalysts"
Chem. Commun. 53, 3098-3101 (2017).
8. *Murata, K., Saito, K., Kikuchi, S., Akita, M., and Inagaki, A.:
"Visible-Light-Controlled Homo- and Copolymerization of Styrenes by Bichromophoric Ir-Pd Catalyst"
Chem. Commun. 51, 5717-5720 (2015).
9. *Murata, K., Araki, M., Inagaki, A., and Akita, M.:
"Syntheses, Photophysical Properties, and Reactivities of Novel Bichromophoric Pd Complexes Composed of Ru(II) Polypyridyl and Naphthyl Moiety"
Dalton Trans. 42, 6989-7001 (2013).
10. *Murata, K., Inagaki, A., Akita, M., Halet, J.-F., and Costuas, K.:
"Revelation of the Photoactive Species in the Photocatalytic Dimerization of α-Methylstyrene by a Dinuclear Ruthenium-Palladium Complex"
Inorg. Chem. 52, 8030-8039 (2013).

Lab Members

Principal investigator

Kei Murata: RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

Contact Information

2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Email: kei.murata [at] riken.jp