On September 20th, 2016, Professor Michinori Suginome of
Kyoto University, at the invitation of the State Key Laboratory of
Elemento-organic Chemistry (SKLEOC), paid a visit to the SKLEOC in the name of
the chair professor for Nankai University Organic Chemistry Lecturship. In
addition to exchanging ideas and interacting with faculties and students of the
SKLEOC, Prof. Suginome made a report titled “new catalytic and chiroptical functions
of chirality switchable helical macromolecules” in the Lecture Hall of the
Synthesis Building of the Institute of Elemento-organic Chemistry at 16:00 p.m.
Before the lecture, Prof. Chunming Cui, director of SKLEOC, conferred
upon Prof. Suginome the medal of “Nankai University Organic Chemistry Lectureship”
on behalf of the SKLEOC. In his report, Prof. Suginome gave a detailed
introduction of his research group’s unique work in chiral macromolecular
polymers. He expounded the synthesis of helical chiral polymers, the chirality
inversions of helical polymers, and discussed the application of these polymers
as ligands in transition metal catalyzed reactions. Prof. Suginome’s work was
original and illuminating. His contents, scientific and precise thoughts
aroused much interest from attendees present. After the report, faculty members
and students of the SKLEOC had in-depth discussion with Prof. Suginome on
helical chiral inversions potential industrial applications.
Prof. Michinori Suginome procured his doctoral degree from Kyoto
University in 1993, under the supervision of Prof. Yoshihiko Ito. Currently, he
is a professor of the synthetic chemistry and biochemistry department of Kyoto
University. Professor Suginome’s main research interests include transition
metal catalysis, asymmetric synthesis and material chemistry. His studies on
asymmetric catalysis based on chiral polymer carriers have received extensive
attention in recent years. Professor Suginome gradually grew into one of the
outstanding representatives of organometallic catalysis in Japan. Prof. Suginome
serves as editors as well as member of consultative committee of many journals
such as The Journal of Polymer Science A:
Polymer Chemistry, Asian Journal of
Organic Chemistry, and Bulletin of
Chemical Society of Japan. He was granted the honors of Nagoya Silver
Medal, Mukaiyama Award, JSPS Prize, the Chemical Society of Japan Award for
Creative Work, and the von Humboldt Foundation Research Award.
