NISHIMURA Koki

Project Assistant Professor

Department of Chemistry (UG), Department of Chemistry (GR), Graduate School of Science

Current Research

Spin is a quantum property of all particles, including electrons and nuclei. However, most organic molecules are closed-shell molecules in which electrons with spin in antiparallel orientations pair together, apparently canceling each other out and obscuring the spin-derived properties. On the other hand, when the molecule is excited or undergoes electron transfer, the transient spins are involved in the reaction dynamics and sometimes show mysterious phenomena that cannot be explained by classical mechanics, such as changes in reaction yield due to magnetic fields. It is widely believed that such phenomena are ubiquitous and that transient spin properties are well integrated in nature and may be responsible for functions such as magnetic perception in birds. Focusing on such "dynamic spin chemistry," we are challenging ourselves to develop materials with new functions by actively exploiting it. Specifically, we are developing molecules that dramatically improve magnetic resonance sensitivity by manipulating nuclear spin using transient electron spin. In the future, we hope to contribute to the life sciences by developing methods to visualize minute amounts of molecules that were previously unobservable using MRI, and to specifically detect specific molecules in special environments, such as inside cells, using NMR.

Keywords

Spin hyperpolarization, Photo-induced electron transfer, Radical pair, Magnetic field effect, Quantum sensing