Asymmetric Autocatalysis: The Soai Reaction

Kenso Soai obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Tokyo with Teruaki Mukaiyama. He was a research associate with Ernest. L. Eliel at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined the faculty of Tokyo University of Science in 1981, became a Full Professor in 1991. He has been Professor Emeritus since 1997.
His research interests include asymmetric autocatalysis and origin of homochirality. The first asymmetric autocatalysis of pyridyl alkanol was found in his group in 1990. Asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol with amplification of ee was reported in 1995. Since 2003, the reaction has been called the Soai reaction. His major awards include Chirality Medal, Chemical Society of Japan Award and Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Emperor of Japan.

Tsuneomi Kawasaki received a Ph.D. degree in 2004 from the University of Tokyo with Takeshi Kitahara. He then joined the group of Kenso Soai at Tokyo University of Science as Assistant Professor. In 2012, he was promoted to Associate Professor at the University of Fukui. In 2017, he returned to Tokyo University of Science as Associate Professor and established his independent research group. His research includes asymmetric autocatalysis, origins of homochirality and asymmetric synthesis. He has been awarded the Chemical Society of Japan Award for Young Chemists and The Young Scientists’ Award of The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Arimasa Matsumoto is currently Assistant Professor at Nara Women’s University. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in 2012 from the University of Tokyo under the direction of Eiichi Nakamura and then joined Kenso Soai’s group at Tokyo University of Science as Assistant Professor. He moved to Nara Women’s University in 2017. His research includes asymmetric autocatalysis and origin of homochirality. He was awarded Springer Thesis Prize, Wako Award in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan.