A Career in Catalysis: Masakatsu Shibasaki

Professor Masakatsu Shibasaki’s distinguished scientific accomplishments in the field of asymmetric catalysis are compiled here with particular emphasis on multimetallic cooperative catalysis. In 1992, he discovered revolutionary multimetallic chiral complexes composed of a rare earth metal, alkaline metals, and 1,1′-binaphthyl-2-binaphthols (BINOLs) that promoted a number of enantioselective reactions in a highly efficient and stereoselective manner. This finding resulted in chiral multimetallic catalysts that have significantly advanced the field of enantioselective catalysis.