After attending Kyoto University, Tsuji began his doctoral research at Columbia University under Gilbert Stork[2] studying natural product synthesis, and making contributions to research on the dissolving metal reduction of enones.[3][4]
Independent career
His independent career began at Toyo Rayon (now Toray Industries) studying the stoichiometric, and later catalytic[5] carbonylation of PdII-alkene complexes with carbon monoxide.[6][7] His preliminary results showed that acyl halides and aldehydes could be decarbonylated by Pd0 at high temperatures (200 °C) yielding alkenes;[8] further investigation revealed that stoichiometric quantities of Wilkinson's catalyst was able to affect the same reaction at lower temperatures,[9] now known as the Tsuji-Wilkinson decarbonylation.
His pioneering work resulting in the development of the Tsuji-Trost reaction was the discovery that allyl-PdII complexes react with malonates, acetoacetates, and enamines yielding alpha-allylated carbonyl compounds,[10] which was later generalized and rendered asymmetric by Barry Trost.[11] Tsuji additionally noted the utility of these alpha-allylated ketones and esters in preparing 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds using the Wacker oxidation.[12]
Later research hinged on the discovery that allyl acetoacetates decarboxylate and regioselectively alpha-allylate in the presence of catalytic Pd(OAc)2 and PPh3via the intermediacy of an allylpalladium enolate[14] - a catalytic Carroll rearrangement. Following work revealed that replacement of PPh3 in the reaction mixture with the bidentate ligand dppe could favor beta-hydride elimination of the palladium enolate, yielding enones.[15] This transformation was applied by Tsuji to the racemic synthesis of methyl jasmonate.[16] Tsuji also found that the palladium enolate could be engaged in intramolecular aldol reactions.[17]
Awards
1980 - Chemical Society of Japan Award, for "research on new organic synthesis processes using transition metal compounds"