The 2019 Japan Prize

• Field:
  Materials and Production
• Achievement:
  Leading contributions to precision synthesis of helical polymers and development of practical chiral materials for separating chiral drugs
• Lecture:
  Synthesis of helical polymers and their separation into left- and right-handed molecules

Award and Honor

1982	Award of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan
1987	Award of the Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan for Technical Development
1991	The Chemical Society of Japan Award for Technical Development
1996	Loui Vuitton, “Vinci of Excellence”
1999	Award of The Chemical Society of Japan
1999	Molecular Chirality Award
2001	Chirality Medal
2002	Medal with Purple Ribbon (Japanese Government)
2005	Fujiwara Prize
2007	Thomson Scientific Research Front Award 2007
2009	SPSJ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science and Technology
2010	Ryoji Noyori Prize sponsored by Takasago International Corporation and administered by the Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan
2011	Charles G. Overberger International Award
2014	Molecular Chirality Distinguished Service Award
2014	Japan Academy Prize

Affiliation

• Nagoya University
  Graduate School of Engineering
  Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan

Education

1964	B.S. degree (Department of Polymer Science, Faculty of Science, Osaka University (Prof. Shunsuke Murahashi))
1966	M.S. degree (Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University (Prof. Heimei Yuki))
1969	Dr. degree (Same Department (Prof. H. Yuki))

Professional History

1969-1983	Assistant Professor (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering Science, Osaka University)
1983-1990	Associate Professor (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering Science, Osaka University)
1990-1997	Professor (Nagoya University, School of Engineering)
1997-2004	Professor (Nagoya University, Graduate School of Engineering)
2004-2009	Guest Professor (Nagoya University, EcoTopia Science Institute)
2004-	Emeritus Professor (Nagoya University)
2007-present	Chair Professor (Harbin Engineering University, China)
2009-present	Distinguished Invited University Professor (Nagoya University)
2019-	University Professor of Nagoya University

Key Publications

• Y. Okamoto, K. Suzuki, K. Ohta, K. Hatada, and H. Yuki, "Optically Active Poly(triphenylmethyl methacrylate) with One-Handed Helical Conformation", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 101, 4763-4765 (1979).
• Y. Okamoto, I. Okamoto, H. Yuki, S. Murata, R. Noyori, and H. Takaya, "Novel Packing Material for Optical Resolution: (+)-Poly(triphenylmethyl methacrylate) Coated on Macroporous Silica Gel", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 103, 6971-6973 (1981).
• Y. Okamoto, M. Kawashima, and K. Hatada, "Useful Chiral Packing Materials for High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Resolution of Enantiomers: Phenylcarbamates of Polysaccharides Coated on Silica Gel", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 106, 5357-5359 (1984).