The purpose of this project is to cultivate a deep understanding of the properties of deuterated materials and to explore a research field "Deuterium Science". Through this research activity, we wish to propose a new material design concept "Deut-Switch", which aims to maximize the material functions by precise, logical deuteration of materials.

Deuterated materials/molecules occasionally exhibit properties significantly different from those of the original, non-deuterated ones. Deuterium-control on the properties of materials is an emerging concept in material design worldwide. To achieve our objective, we will promote research on deuterated materials in the following four fields: (1) development of synthetic methodology of deuterated materials, (2) a better understanding of the properties of deuterated materials with the aid of computational methods, (3) a better understanding of the reactivity of deuterated materials using spectroscopic measurements, and (4) Application of deuterated drugs for metabolic research.

Project Name: MEXT KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B) "Deuterium Science"
Head Investigator: Hiroshi Naka (Kyoto University)