We are conducting research using coordination chemistry techniques to create novel substances with unprecedented functionalities based on metal complexes. A metal complex is a compound in which a metal ion (such as copper or iron) forms strong bonds with surrounding molecules, known as ligands.
In metal complexes, the metal ion and ligands bind together in specific arrangements or shapes, forming a stable structure as a unified compound. Through these interactions, metal complexes can exhibit new functional properties that were not observed in the individual metal ions.
Recently, we have been synthesizing porphyrin derivatives containing metal ions at their centers and using these complexes as catalysts to explore oxidation reactions using only oxygen molecules from the air and light.