Research
Faculty Members
Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry（Chemistry）
Sawama YoshinariAssociate professor
Yoshinari Sawama has been an Associate Professor at Osaka University since 2021. He received his Ph.D. in 2006 in the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Yasuyuki Kita at Osaka University. After working as the postdoctoral fellows at Osaka University, Dortmund Technical University, and Ritsumeikan University, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor at Gifu Pharmaceutical University in 2010 and an Associate Professor at Gifu Pharmaceutical University since 2017.
Research theme
Total synthesis of bioactive natural products
Our goal is to achieve efficient synthesis of complicated natural organic compounds with biological activity and drug discovery using their derivatives.
Synthesis of deuterated compounds (H/D exchange reactions) and its applications
Deuterium is a stable isotope of hydrogen, and organic compounds containing deuterium atoms can be used for heavy drugs and molecular imaging using instrumental analysis (neutron scattering, Raman spectroscopy, etc.). We have developed an original method for introducing deuterium atoms into organic compounds, and hope to contribute to the development of drug discovery research.
Development of green sustainable reactions
We develop the reactions using water as solvent and heterogeneous catalysts for synthesizing useful molecules.
Development of novel skeleton construction method utilizing Lewis acid catalyst
We are challenging to synthesize new frameworks by using the interesting reactivity of Lewis acids.
Representative achievements
Exhaustive synthesis of deuterium-labelled compounds
Y. Sawama
YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 2022, 142, 139−144.
Hydrogen generation from water, alcohols etc. and its application to organic reactions
Y. Sawama
J. Synth. Org. Chem. Jpn 2021, 79, 188−196.
Gold-Catalyzed Tandem Oxidative Coupling Reaction between β‑Ketoallenes and Electron-Rich Arenes to 2‑Furylmethylarenes
N. Yasukawa, Y. Yamada, C. Furugen, Y. Miki, H. Sajiki, Y. Sawama
Org. Lett. 2021, 23, 5891−5895.
Synthesis of 1-Pyrroline by Denitrogenative Ring Expansion of Cyclobutyl Azides under Thermal Conditions
Y. Miki, N. Tomita, K. Ban, H. Sajiki, Y. Sawama
Adv. Synth. Catal. 2021, 363, 3481–3484.
Copper-Catalyzed Aqueous N O Bond Cleavage of 2-Oxa-3-Azabicyclo Compounds to Cyclic cis-1,4-Amino Alcohols
N. Yasukawa, Y. Miki, M. Kuwata, H. Sajiki, Y. Sawama
ChemSusChem 2020, 13, 5632–5637
Hydroquinone and benzoquinone-catalyzed aqueous Knoevenagel condensation
R. Takakura, K. Koyama, M. Kuwata, T. Yamada, H. Sajiki Y. Sawama
Org. Biomol. Chem. 2020, 18, 6594–6597
Quantitative Mechanochemical Methanation of CO2 with H2O in a Stainless Steel Ball Mill
Y. Sawama, M. Niikawa, K. Ban, K. Park, S. Aibara, M. Itoh, H. Sajiki
Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 2020, 93, 1074–1078.
H−D Exchange Deuteration of Arenes at Room Temperature
Y. Sawama, A. Nakano, T. Matsuda, T. Kawajiri, T. Yamada, H. Sajiki
Org. Process Res. Dev. 2019, 23, 648−653
Chemoselective Nucleophilic Functionalizations of Aromatic
Aldehydes and Acetals via Pyridinium Salt Intermediates
T. Kawajiri, M. Kato, H. Nakata, R. Goto, S. Aibara, R. Ohta, H. Fujioka, H. Sajiki, Y. Sawama
J. Org. Chem. 2019, 84, 3853−3870
Copper-catalyzed pyrrole synthesis from 3,6-dihydro-1,2-oxazines
N. Yasukawa, M. Kuwata, T. Imai, Y. Monguchi, H. Sajiki, Y. Sawama
Green Chem. 2018, 20, 4409−4413.
