In addition to holding the role of director, Itami will also be one of the PIs in ITbM and thus will actively collaborate with all PIs, playing a key role in synthesizing molecules using our catalysts. His research group has developed a number of unique and highly efficient molecular catalysts for C-H coupling, an ideal approach to rapidly increase molecular complexity in organic synthesis. His synthesis-oriented catalyst development campaign has provided opportunities for markedly different connection/disconnection strategies in the construction of useful organic molecules, including pharmaceuticals, natural products, and new enzyme inhibitors.

Research Highlights

• A Milestone in the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes
• The Fourth Nanocarbon: Warped Nanographene
• Environmentally Friendly Coupling Reaction
• A novel "Kabuto-like" nickel catalyst forms bioactive frameworks from low-cost phenol derivatives
• Chemists uncover new role of a key base in organic synthesis
• Selective Functionalization Synthesizes Chemotherapeutic Natural Products
• Chromium-Centered Cycloparaphenylene Rings as New Tools for Making Functionalized Nanocarbons
• Programmed Synthesis towards Multi-substituted Benzene Derivatives
• A Rapid Extension of Nanographene Sheets from Readily Available Hydrocarbons
• 'Para-shooting' boron on benzene rings
• Small molecules change biological clock rhythm
• Aromatic couple makes new chemical bonds
• AMOR, a love potion for plant fertilization
• "Helix-to-Tube", a simple strategy to synthesize covalent organic nanotubes
• One-pot synthesis towards sulfur-based organic semiconductors
• At Last: Beautiful, consistent carbon belts
• Shining rings: A new material emits white light when exposed to electricity
• More mouths can be fed by boosting number of plant pores
• "Zipping-up" rings to make nanographenes
• Flexible warped nanographene developed for bioimaging
• Scientists control molecular alignment on a graphene surface
• Making carbon nanosheets from carbon nanorings inside a beaker
• Thermal radiation from red-hot carbon nanotubes

Selected Awards and Honors

2018	Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher
2018	Netherlands Scholar Award for Supra-molecular Chemistry
2018	Guthikonda Lectureship in Organic Chemistry 2018
2018	Rowland Pettit Centennial Visiting Professorship
2017	35th Academic Award, Chemical Society of Japan
2017	Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher
2017	Chunichi Cultural Award, Chunichi Shimbun
2017	23rd Yomiuri Techno Forum Gold Medal Prize, Yomiuri Techno Forum
2016	Nagase Prize, Frontier Salon Foundation
2016	Ta-shue Chou Lectureship, Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
2015	R. C. Fuson Visiting Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2015	Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, American Chemical Society
2015	Swiss Chemical Society Lectureship Award
2014	Nankai University Lectureship Award
2014	The Aldrich Lectureship Award
2014	JSPS Prize, Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences
2013	Novartis Chemistry Lectureship Award
2013	Mukaiyama Award
2013	Asian Rising Star Award, Asian Chemical Congress
2012	Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK
2012	German Innovation Award "GottFried Wagener Prize"
2012	Novartis-MIT Lectureship Award, MIT, USA
2011	Overseas Distinguished Professor, Wuhan University, China
2011	ACP Lectureship Award, China
2011	ACP Lectureship Award, Malaysia
2011	Nozoe Memorial Award for Young Organic Chemists

Selected Publications

• Segawa, Y.; Kuwayama, M.; Hijikata, Y.; Fushimi, M.; Nishihara, T.; Pirillo, J.; Shirasaki, J.; Kubota, N.; Itami, K. Science2019, 365, 272-276. Topological molecular nanocarbons: all-benzene catenane and trefoil knot. DOI: 10.1126/science.aav5021
• Koga, Y.; Kaneda, T.; Saito, Y.; Murakami, K.; Itami, K. Science 2018, 359, 435-439. Synthesis of partially and fully fused polyaromatics by annulative chlorophenylene dimerization. DOI: 10.1126/science.aap9801
• Povie, G.; Segawa, Y.; Nishihara, T.; Miyauchi, Y.; Itami, K. Science 2017, 356, 172-175. Synthesis of a carbon nanobelt. DOI: DOI: 10.1126/science.aam8158
• Segawa, Y.; Ito, H.; Itami, K. Nature Rev. Mat. 2016, 1, 15002. Structurally uniform and atomically precise carbon nanostructures. DOI: DOI: 10.1038/natrevmats.2015.2
• Oshima, T.; Yamanaka, I.; Kumar, A.; Yamaguchi, J.; Nishiwaki-Ohkawa, T.; Muto, K.; Kawamura, R.; Hirota, T.; Yagita, K.; Irle, S.; Kay, S. A.; Yoshimura, T.; Itami, K. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 7193-7197. C-H Activation generates period-shortening molecules that target Cryptochrome in the mammalian circadian clock. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201502942
• Ozaki, K.; Kawasumi, K.; Shibata, M.; Ito, H.; Itami, K. Nature Commun. 2015, 54, 7193-7197. C-H Activation generates period-shortening molecules that target Cryptochrome in the mammalian circadian clock. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7251
• Kawasumi, K.; Zhang Q.; Segawa Y.; Scott L. T.; Itami, K. Nature Chem.2013, 5, 739-744. A grossly warped nanographene and the consequences of multiple odd-membered-ring defects. DOI: 10.1038/nchem.1704
• Omachi, H.; Nakayama, T.; Takahashi, E.; Segawa, Y.; Itami, K. Nature Chem. 2013, 5, 572-576. Initiation of carbon nanotube growth by well-defined carbon nanoringsDOI: 10.1038/nchem.1655
• Takaba, H.; Omachi, H.; Yamamoto, Y.; Bouffard, J.; Itami, K. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6112-6116. Selective synthesis of [12]cycloparaphenylene. DOI: DOI: 10.1002/anie.200902617