Ken Sakai

Professor Ken Sakai


Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of Science
Kyushu University

Hakozaki 6-10-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
Tel/Fax: +81-92-642-2596
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Group Home Page: http://www.scc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/Sakutai/

Study Records
1986
BS from the Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University
1989
Degree of Master from the Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University.
1993
PhD in Science, from the Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda Univerity (Supervisor: Prof. Kazuko Matsumoto)

Job Positions
1991
Research Associate, Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Seikei University
1999
Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
2003
Associate Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
2004
Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University

Research and Social Activity
Associate member of IUPAC, in Division II (Inorganic Chemistry Division) (2007-) Membership in American Chemical Society, Chemical Society of Japan, Japan Society of Coordination Chemistry, etc.

Research Interests
Studies on multinuclear and/or heteronuclear metal complexes with the aim of developing highly effective homogeneous catalysts towards a variety of materials conversion processes, such as those mployed in photosynthesis, fuel cells, solar energy conversion; i.e., cleavage of water, alcohol oxidation, oxygen reduction and so on.

Recent Selected Publications

  1. Kosei Yamauchi, Shigeyuki Masaoka and Ken Sakai, Evidence for the Pt(II)-Based Molecular Catalysis in Thermal Reduction of Water into Molecular Hydrogen, J. Am. Chem. Soc.,2009, 131, 8404-8406,2009.06.
  2. Masaki Yoshida, Shigeyuki Masaoka and Ken Sakai, Oxygen Evolution from Water Catalyzed by Mononuclear Ruthenium Complexes with a Triazamacrocyclic Ligand in a Facial Fashion, Chem. Lett.,2009, 38, 702-703,2009.07.
  3. Reiko Okazaki, Shigeyuki Masaoka and Ken Sakai, Photo-Hydrogen-Evolving Activity of Chloro(terpyridine)platinum(II): a Single-Component Molecular Photocatalyst, Dalton Trans.,2009, 6127-6133,2009.06.
  4. T. Yamaguchi, S. Masaoka and K. Sakai, Hydrogen Production from Water Catalyzed by an Air-stable Di-iron Complex with a Bio-relevant Fe2(μ-S)2 Core, Chem. Lett.,2009, 38, 434-435,2009.05.
  5. S. Masaoka and K. Sakai,Clear Evidence Showing the Robustness of a Highly Active Oxygen-Evolving Mononuclear Ruthenium Complex with an Aqua Ligand, Chem. Lett.,2009, 38, 182-3,2009.02.
  6. M. J. Katz, K. Sakai and D. B. Leznoff,The use of aurophilic and other metal-metal interactions as crystal engineering design elements to increase structural dimensionality, Chem. Soc. Rev.,2008, 37(9), 1884-95.,2008.07.
  7. Ken Sakai and Hironobu Ozawa, Homogeneous catalysis of platinum(II) complexes in photochemical hydrogen production from water, Coordination Chemistry Reviews,251, 2753-2766,2007.11.
  8. Hironobu Ozawa and Ken Sakai, An Effect of Structural Modification in the Photo-hydrogen-evoluting RuIIPtII Dimers, Chem. Lett.,36, 920-921,2007.07.
  9. Hironobu Ozawa, Yuki Yokoyama, Masa-aki Haga, and Ken Sakai, Syntheses, Characterization, and Photo-Hydrogen-Evolving Properties of Tris(2,2´-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) Derivatives Tethered to a cis-Pt(II)Cl2 Unit: Insights into the Structure-Activity Relationship, Dalton Trans.,12, 1197-1206,2007.05.
  10. Ken Sakai, Hironobu Ozawa, Hajime Yamada, Taro Tsubomura, Mariko Hara, Akon Higuchi, Masa-aki Haga, A Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II)Derivative Tetherred to a cis-PtCl2(amine)2moiety:Syntheses, Spectroscopic properties, and Visible-Light-Induced Scission of DNA, Dalton Trans.,3300-3305,2006.04.
  11. Hironobu Ozawa, Masa-aki Haga, Ken Sakai, A Photo-Hydrogen-Evolving Molecular Device Driving Visible-Light-Induced EDTA-Reduction of Water into Molecular Hydrogen,J.Am.Chem.Soc.,4926-4927,2006.04.