Young Researcher: Associate Professor Hiroki TAKEZAWA

Associate Professor　Department of Applied Chemistry｜Fujita Laboratory

Biography

I conduct research on manipulating the shapes and reactions of molecules using nanometer-sized “spaces.” The properties and reactivity of molecules are determined not only by how their atoms are connected, but also by the shapes and conformations they adopt. With a molecular model, we can simply hold it in our hands and twist or bend it. Real molecules, however, are far too small to manipulate directly in that way.

To overcome this limitation, we create hollow structures that are comparable in size to the molecules themselves and confine guest molecules inside them, allowing the surrounding “space” to control their behavior. For example, forcing a molecule to twist within a confined space can induce reactivity that it would not normally exhibit, while folding an elongated molecule can selectively promote a specific reaction.

Such spaces can be used not only to make molecules react, but also to “see” them. By incorporating complex natural products or pharmaceutical molecules into hollow structures and crystallizing them, we can determine their three-dimensional structures at the atomic level using X-ray crystallography. We call this approach the second-generation crystalline sponge method.

By using nanoscale spaces not simply as containers, but as tools for controlling and observing molecules, I aim to develop a new chemistry in which molecules can be manipulated with unprecedented freedom and precision.

So far, my research has mainly focused on controlling molecular structures and reactivity by confining molecules within nanoscale spaces. Going forward, I hope to extend this molecular-level “manipulation” to macroscopic functions, such as catalytic reactions and functional materials, and ultimately connect it to the development of new materials and energy-efficient chemical processes.

I have been passionate about shogi, or Japanese chess, since junior high school, and I currently hold an official fourth-dan rank. From time to time, we organize shogi tournaments with current and former lab members. I feel that there is something in common between shogi and research: looking at the whole picture, thinking deeply about how to turn an idea into reality, and finding the best way forward.

• Second-Generation Crystalline Sponge: Realizing Simple and Versatile Structural Analysis for Medium-Sized Pharmaceutical Compounds
• Enhanced reactivity of twisted amides inside a molecular cage

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of the interview.