Applied Chemistry

  • Mechanochemical activation of metallic lithium for the generation and application of organolithium compounds in air

    Here we report a mechanochemical method for the direct generation of organolithium reagents from readily available organic halides and unactivated lithium metal (lithium wire) under bulk-solvent-free conditions. These reactions rapidly generate a diverse array of organolithium compounds at room temperature without special precautions against moisture and without temperature control.

    Kondo Keisuke, Koji Kubota, and Hajime Ito

    Nature Synthesis

  • The Detail Matters: Unveiling Overlooked Parameters in the Mechanochemical Synthesis of Solid Electrolytes

    “Simply mixing the reagents by hand for a short time in a mortar and pestle before mechanochemical synthesis dramatically improves the performance of the solid electrolyte.
    Hand mixing changes the crystallization behavior, improving the ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte by up to an order of magnitude.
    This discovery will accelerate the search for efficient and logical new electrolyte materials, and ultimately the development of all-solid-state batteries.”

    Abdulkadir Kızılaslan, Mustafa Çelik, Yuta Fujii, Zheng Huang, Chikako Moriyoshi, Shogo Kawaguchi, Satoshi Hiroi, Koji Ohara, Mariko Ando, Kiyoharu Tadanaga, Saneyuki Ohno, and Akira Miura

    ACS Energy Lett. 2025, 10, 1, 156–160

  • One-Pass Synthesis of BTX from CO₂ Enabled by Precisely Controlled Catalysts

    CO₂ utilization is essential for achieving carbon neutrality, and among potential target products, BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene) are key basic chemicals in a post-fossil society. In this study, we build on previous collaborative research between the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. We aim to precisely control the catalyst structure at the atomic level, enabling one-pass synthesis of BTX from CO₂. Through this approach, we seek to establish a catalyst process that is robust and scalable, suitable for industrial application, and capable of supporting a sustainable future without reliance on fossil resources.

    Shohei Tada, Kotaro Takeyasu, Ryota Osuga, Kenta Iyoki, Yuichiro Kanematsu, and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

    NEDO Feasibility Study Program (2025~)

  • Electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction catalytic activity of zirconium nitrides synthesized by the urea-glass route using ZrCl₄ as a raw material

    The development of electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO2RR) catalysts is crucial for converting CO₂ into valuable chemicals using surplus renewable energy. Carbon monoxide (CO) is widely studied due to its multiple applications. We prepared ZrN nanoparticles via the “urea-glass route.”, as a novel CO2RR catalyst, This preparation process resulted in the formation of a ZrN-carbon composite. CO2RR tests showed the formation of CO, as well as hydrogen, which was generated as a byproduct of the competing water electrolysis reaction. Despite the relatively low CO efficiency, we successfully confirmed the electrochemical CO2RR activity of the ZrN-carbon composite.

    Kentaro Tabuchi, Shinji Noguchi, Ryosuke Nakazato, Keeko Matsumoto, Yuta Fujii, Akira Miura, and Kiyoharu Tadanaga

    J. Ceram. Soc. Jpn., 113[2], 47-51 (2025).

  • Understanding the active catalyst surface structure on Ru-doped Ni/CeO₂ catalysts for CO₂ methanation

    Converting CO₂ into valuable compounds using renewable hydrogen is a promising strategy for achieving a decarbonized society. We previously demonstrated that Ni-based catalysts efficiently convert CO₂ into methane, the main component of city gas. In this study, we combined expertise in chemical engineering, computational chemistry, and physics to uncover the surface structure of the developed catalyst. These structural insights pave the way for improving catalyst performance and for designing advanced CO₂ conversion systems that contribute to a decarbonized future.

    Shohei Tada, Shunsuke Ogata, So Nishikawa, Harune Yamaguchi, Yamato Nakashima, Tetsuo Honma, Hirotsugu Hiramatsu, Masahiko Nishijima, Tatsuya Joutsuka, and Ryuji Kikuchi

    International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

  • Solid-state aromatic nucleophilic fluorination: a rapid, practical, and environmentally friendly route to N-heteroaryl fluorides

    A simple mechanochemical protocol for solid-state aromatic nucleophilic fluorination using potassium fluoride (KF) and quaternary ammonium salts was developed. This solid-state fluorination is fast and a variety of N-heteroaryl halides can be efficiently fluorinated within 1 h.

    Koji Kubota, Tetsu Makino, Keisuke Kondo, Tamae Seo, Mingoo Jin, and Hajime Ito

    Green Chemistry, 27, 1771

  • Achieving Chiral Crystallization through Tailored Silyl-Substituted Dipolar Molecular Designs

    This study highlights the importance of introducing appropriate bulky shielding sites and interactive sites to achieve chiral crystallization and provides valuable guidance for designing chiral assemblies from achiral dipolar molecules.

    Natsumi Hammyo, Takeharu Yonezawa, Hajime Ito, and Mingoo Jin.

    Crystal Growth & Design

  • CO₂ electrochemical reduction by Zn-based layered double hydroxides: The role of structural trivalent metal ions

    Carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction (CO2ER) has attracted attention because of its potential to convert CO₂ into valuable chemical materials using renewable energy. In this study, we evaluated the electrocatalytic activity of Zn-Cr, Zn-Ga, and Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) for CO2ER. We found that these LDHs exhibited CO2ER activity for CO evolution, and the type of M³⁺ in the Zn-based LDHs affected their CO2ER performance. This research was a collaboration with the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and the Institute of Ceramics and Glass, CSIC, Spain

    Ryosuke Nakazato, Keeko Matsumoto, Matthias Quintelier, Joke Hadermann, Nataly Carolina Rosero-Navarro, Akira Miura, and Kiyoharu Tadanaga

    Open Ceramics, 22, 100788 (2025)

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