Biomolecular Engineering
At the laboratories…

Gaining a deeper understanding of structures and mechanisms at theatomic/molecular level in order to create new functional molecules
Biomolecular Engineering

Applied Organic Synthesis（Hattori Laboratory）

O development of organic compounds

ur main research is focused on thethat provide new functionality, predicatedon the ideal of efficient production of target
materials using new types of synthetic
methodologies and reactions. Put simply,
our goal is to create new materials, morestrictly, organic compounds with thepotential to provide new functionality. Thismay include the novelty in the processsense, that is, the utilization of a new
synthetic reaction or methodology.
The fundamental aim of organic chemistry
is to clarify material structures and theA functional molecule, thiacalixarene, which can recognize a range ofmetallic ions and organic molecules by functional group transformation

mechanisms behind the manifestation of physical properties at the atomic and molecular level, andto develop methodologies for producing organic compounds with the desired functionality. In orderto ensure that materials are prepared in an environmentally benign manner, we need to artificially
recreate chemical transformation with a high level of activity and selectivity using catalysts
Professor of the Biomolecular Engineeringat the Graduate School of Engineering
Doctor of Engineering

Tetsutaro Hattori
Graduated from Funabashi Senior HighSchool (Chiba Prefecture) in 1982.
Completed a doctorate in appliedchemistry at the Graduate School ofEngineering at Tohoku University in
1992. Appointed associate professor atthe Graduate School of Engineering at
Tohoku University in 2001. Appointed
professor at the Graduate School ofEnvironmental Studies at Tohoku
University in 2005. Assumed current
position in 2010. "I've always liked finding
things out, such as in summer holiday freeschool assignments. Once, in my thirdyear of junior high school, I read that theboiling point of water was different at thetop of Mt. Fuji. I was so keen to study therelationship between atmosphericpressure and boiling point for myself that
I managed to convince my father to hikeup Mt. Fuji with me (laughs)." The slogan
of the Hattori Laboratory is: Make YourOwn Discoveries.

featuring enzymes, a key characteristic of biological reactions, and further to develop ever better
enzyme mimics.
Taking advantage of precise molecular and/or ion recognition ability hitherto never seen, whichis achieved by learning from enzymes, we can also develop new reactions for environmentallybenign organic synthesis.
Our research is dedicated to exploring the potential of original discoveries made in ourlaboratory. Quite often, unexpected discoveries are made in the course of ongoing research work.
So it is vital that we fully utilize the background knowledge acquired through our daily work inquestioning the natural world about our beliefs and assumptions and seeking responses. There isgreat satisfaction in analyzing the responses to our queries.

Main research themes● Functional molecules based on thiacalixarene● Activation of CO2 by Lewis acid and its fixation to organic molecules● Control of asymmetric phenomena by the dielectric constant of solvent● Atropisomeric biaryl-based photoresponsive molecules● Utilization of solution phase and molten phase on crystal surface as chemical
reaction fields