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Goto-Ono Lab
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The lab uses molecular cavities to capture unstable reaction intermediates.
AboutAbout the lab
The microscopic space formed by cavity-type molecules.
The Goto-Ono Lab designs reaction spaces with nano-sized cavities from organic molecules and uses them to control synthesis and reactions.
Using bowl-shaped and capsule-shaped molecules, the lab stabilizes unstable reaction intermediates that could not be synthesized before, making them available as compounds that can be isolated and handled.
In this way, the lab elucidates the mechanisms of reactions that were once black boxes.
In particular, its main targets are compounds containing main-group elements (heteroelements) from the lower part of the periodic table.
Key terms
- Reaction intermediate
- A substance that forms only momentarily midway through a chemical reaction. Because it is unstable, it is difficult to isolate and study.
- Cavity-type molecule
- A molecule with a hollow space (cavity) inside that can hold other molecules or reactive sites.
- Heteroelement
- An element other than the carbon and hydrogen that make up the backbone of organic compounds, such as sulfur and selenium.
NewsLab news
Associate Professor Ono receives the Best Award at GAP FUND DEMODAY
A paper by a graduate and faculty members is published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
A doctoral student receives the Student Presentation Award at the Spring Annual Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan
Associate Professor Ono receives the School of Science Young Researcher Encouragement Award
Professor Goto receives the Best Award of the Institute of Science Tokyo Education Awards (joint recipient)
ResearchResearch themes
Using cavity-type reaction spaces of its own design, the lab synthesizes compounds containing heteroelements from the lower part of the periodic table, which have been difficult to make until now, and clarifies their properties. It aims to apply this work to elucidating the mechanisms of biological reactions and developing substances with new functions, and to build a new framework for organoelement chemistry.
*Illustrative imageModel studies of active species in biological reactions
Using its original "molecular cradle" model, which protects its contents inside a nano-sized molecular cavity, the lab synthesizes and isolates, as stable compounds, unstable intermediates derived from amino acids and peptides.
*Illustrative imageStabilizing highly reactive species in molecular cavities
The lab builds cavity-type and capsule-type molecules with the reactive site embedded inside, and isolates and studies, as stable compounds, highly reactive species that can normally exist only for a moment.
*Illustrative imagePutting unstable intermediates to use in organic synthesis
Taking advantage of the properties of enzyme reaction intermediates stabilized in molecular cavities (such as selenenyl iodide), the lab has succeeded in developing organic synthesis reactions that were previously difficult.
*Illustrative imageMetal clusters
The lab designs bulky ligands to selectively prepare silver and gold clusters that dissolve in solvents. Using differences in their reactivity as clues, it is also working on developing new catalyst systems.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Goto-Ono Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, postdoctoral researchers, and students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs.As of 2026
- ProfessorKei GotoPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorKosuke OnoPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorSatoru KuwanoPublications ↗
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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: “Cucurbit(6)uril-(top)-3D-spacefill” Jynto (talk) / CC0 (cropped)
- Model studies of active species in biological reactions: “Glutathionperoxidase 2F8A” own work / Public domain (cropped)
- Stabilizing highly reactive species in molecular cavities: “2.2.2-Cryptand-3D-balls-by-AHRLS-2012” Amir.ahrls / CC0 (cropped)
- Putting unstable intermediates to use in organic synthesis: “Selen 1” de:User:Tomihahndorf / Public domain (cropped)
- Metal clusters: “Titania supported gold nanocluster” Kronber1 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (河野研究室): “Structure of NU-1000” Georgina P. Robertson, Sara Mosca, Celia Castillo-Blas, Florencia A. Son, Omar K. Farha, David A. Keen, Simone Anzellini, and Thomas D. Bennett / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (豊田研究室): “Anthracen” H. H. W. Preuß / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (南研究室): “Penicillia on Petri dish” Convallaria majalis / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (大森・安藤研究室): “Coloured column chromatography ( )” Максим Фомич / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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