LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Catalytic Organic Chemistry Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that develops catalysts from the perspectives of both organic chemistry and solid catalysts.
AboutAbout the lab
Centered on catalysts, stepping beyond the boundaries of fields.
The Catalytic Organic Chemistry Lab studies a wide range of fields in organic chemistry and catalytic chemistry, centered on the development of catalysts and catalytic reactions.
It works on everything from homogeneous catalysts such as metal complex catalysts to solid catalysts, and is a somewhat unusual lab in studying both at the same time.
Some of the reactions it handles are for organic synthesis and fine chemical synthesis, but many target the synthesis of commodity chemicals and petrochemicals.
The lab's website states that being weak in organic chemistry as an undergraduate is not much of a problem.
Key terms
- Solid catalyst
- A catalyst used in the solid state. It is the counterpart of homogeneous catalysts (such as metal complex catalysts), which work in dissolved form.
- Supported gold nanoparticles
- Gold nanoparticles placed on a support such as an oxide like silica, or activated carbon. They are used as catalysts and adsorbents.
- Impregnation method
- A method in which a support is soaked with an aqueous solution containing a metal and then calcined to load the metal onto it.
- Hineka (aged off-flavor)
- One of the deterioration odors of sake. The sulfur compound DMTS is regarded as the causative substance.
NewsLab news
A master's student received the Kyushu Analytical Chemistry Poster Award at the 63rd Joint Kyushu Convention of Chemistry-Related Societies' Branches
Assistant Professor Akihiro Nakayama received the Best Oral Presentation Award at XAFS2026
A master's student received the Excellent Poster Presentation Award at the 45th Summer School of the Young Researchers' Group of the Catalysis Society of Japan
A master's student received the Excellent Presentation Award at the 61st Kyushu Regional Joint Convention of Chemistry-Related Societies' Branches
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies a wide range of fields in organic chemistry and catalytic chemistry, centered on the development of catalysts and catalytic reactions. It also actively takes on research that goes beyond the boundaries of conventional fields, such as controlling the aroma of alcoholic beverages.
*Illustrative imageRecoverable supported gold catalysts
The lab found that supported gold nanoparticles act as catalysts that promote reactions by activating, for example, the π electrons of alkenes and alkynes. Unlike metal complex catalysts, they can be recovered and reused.
*Illustrative imageHow to make supported gold nanoparticle catalysts
To use gold nanoparticles as catalysts or adsorbents, they must be placed on a support while remaining small particles. Converting chloroauric acid into an amino acid complex, loading it onto a support by the impregnation method, and calcining it gives supported gold nanoparticles of about 3 nm.
*Illustrative imageDesulfurization that protects the aroma of sake
The lab reported that sulfur compounds such as 1,3-dimethyltrisulfane (DMTS), which cause the aged off-flavor (hineka) of sake, can be removed with supported gold nanoparticles. With silica-supported gold nanoparticles, DMTS can be selectively removed while the ester components of the ginjo aroma are left in place. (Joint research with the National Research Institute of Brewing)
*Illustrative imageRemoving sulfur from fuel
The lab succeeded in decomposing, simply by irradiating them with ultraviolet light, the sulfur-containing aromatic compounds that tend to remain among the sulfur compounds in petroleum when desulfurization is insufficient. The elemental sulfur produced forms a solid precipitate that can be removed by filtration or similar methods. (Joint research with Toyota Motor Corporation)
MembersFaculty
The members of the Catalytic Organic Chemistry Lab are faculty members and PhD, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMakoto Tokunaga
- Associate ProfessorEiji Yamamoto
- Assistant ProfessorAkina Yoshizawa
- Assistant ProfessorAkihiro Nakayama
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Catalytic Organic Chemistry Lab
Organic Reaction Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryIn living organisms, only the necessary compounds are synthe…
Biocatalytic Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryUnderstanding the chemical principles of life phenomena in n…
Photofunctional Materials Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryDevelopment of molecular devices: synthesis of novel materia…
Dynamic Life Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryChemical biology: chemical labeling and imaging of proteins …The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Chemspeed Reactor Vessels Array ( )” Kitmondo Marketplace / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Recoverable supported gold catalysts: “Illustration of hal-01629621; mechanism of allenylsulfides to furan via gold catalyst (MédiHAL 3177662)” Stéphane Humbel / Public domain (cropped)
- How to make supported gold nanoparticle catalysts: “Gold nanoparticles as indicators” Valeg96 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Desulfurization that protects the aroma of sake: “Matsui Sake Brewery's Sake 20211122” Nisiguti / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Removing sulfur from fuel: “Refinery Hot Fuel Facility - geograph.org.uk - 586982” terry joyce / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Organic Reaction Chemistry Lab): “Crystallisation? Reaction? Don't remember ( )” Максим Фомич / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Biocatalytic Chemistry Lab): “Plantes médicinales planche 1 - Medicinal plants, medical herbs, botanical illustrations, plate 1 - Public domain illustration from Larousse du XXème siècle 1932” EN NOIR & BLANC / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Photofunctional Materials Chemistry Lab): “Barium ferrite crystal structure” Yilin Evan Li / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Dynamic Life Chemistry Lab): “Fluorescence from Fluorescent Proteins” Erin Rod / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.