Successful Development of a Clean Synthesis Method for Alcohols from Alkenes and Water Using Copper and Light [Okayama University, Osaka Metropolitan University]

This is a press release on the joint research achievements of Okayama University and Osaka Metropolitan University.

May 31, 2026 Okayama University

<Key Points of the Announcement>

The industrial demand for alcohols continues to grow, and there is a need to develop methods for efficiently synthesizing target alcohols from inexpensive starting materials.

Directly obtaining the target alcohol from an alkene and water would be attractive, but its realization required a new method for activating alkenes.

This research successfully developed a clean hydration reaction by utilizing the inexpensive metal copper and light energy.

◆ Overview

A research group from Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu), led by Assistant Professor (Special Appointment) Naoki Oku, Assistant Professor Ken Yamazaki, and Professor Tomoya Miura of the Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, along with then-graduate students Keito Fuke and Rikako Masui, in collaboration with a research group from Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Engineering led by Associate Professor Yasunori Matsui and Professor Hiroshi Ikeda, has successfully developed a new method for synthesizing alcohols from alkenes and water using light energy.

The industrial demand for alcohols is continuously increasing, and the development of simple and economical synthesis methods is sought. Directly synthesizing the target alcohol from inexpensive and readily available alkenes and water is an attractive chemical transformation, but it required the development of a new method to activate the less reactive alkenes.

This study revealed for the first time that copper, an inexpensive metal, acts as a powerful photocatalyst to activate alkenes.

These research findings were published in the British general academic journal 'Nature Communications' on February 21, 2026. It is expected that the development of clean molecular conversion technology using light energy with copper as a photocatalyst will be further accelerated in the future.

This announcement was made public on May 31, 2026.

◆ A word from Assistant Professor Naoki Oku

The prototype for this research was a discovery I made as a master's student. Thanks to all my collaborators, it has taken shape after about seven years. I am deeply moved. (Oku)

(From left) Assistant Professor Naoki Oku, graduate student Rikako Masui, Professor Tomoya Miura

◆ Publication Information Paper Title: Photooxidative Copper(II) Catalysis for Promoting anti-Markovnikov Hydration of Alkenes Journal: Nature Communications Authors: Naoki Oku, Keito Fuke, Rikako Masui, Ken Yamazaki, Yasunori Matsui, Hiroshi Ikeda, and Tomoya Miura DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69807-0 URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69807-0

◆ Research Funding This research was conducted with support from the following grants [JSPS KAKENHI (22H05368, 24H01083, 22K19032, 25K01769, 22H05377, 24H01092, 24H01861, 24K17682), JSPS Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities (J-PEAKS) (JPJS00420230010), Maekawa Houonkai Foundation Academic Research Grant (A3-24006), Iwatani Naoji Foundation's Iwatani Science and Technology Research Grant, Takahashi Industrial and Economic Research Foundation Research Grant]. This paper also received support from Okayama University's 'APC Support for High-Impact International Academic Journals.'

◆ For more details on the research Synthesizing Alcohols from Alkenes and Water: Successful Development of a Clean Synthesis Method Using Copper and Light https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/up_load_files/press_r8/press20260402-1.pdf

◆ Reference ・Okayama University, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory https://sites.google.com/view/miuralab/home ・Okayama University, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology https://www.elst.okayama-u.ac.jp/

Okayama University Tsushima Campus (Kita-ku, Okayama City)

◆ Contact Information

<Regarding Research> Professor Tomoya Miura, Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

<Regarding Media Inquiries> Public Relations Division, General Affairs Department, Okayama University TEL: 086-251-7292

Public Relations Division, Osaka Metropolitan University TEL: 06-6967-1834

<For Pharmaceutical/Medical Device Companies regarding collaboration with Okayama University Hospital> New Medical Research and Development Center, Okayama University Hospital 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan

<For Medical Professionals/Researchers regarding collaboration with Okayama University Hospital> Research Promotion Division, Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Promotion Section, Okayama University Hospital 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan

<For inquiries about Okayama University's industry-academia-government collaboration> Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Division, Organization for Research and Innovation Co-creation, Okayama University 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

<For inquiries about Okayama University's shared research equipment (Core Facility)> Task Force for Strengthening the System and Maintenance of Shared Research Equipment at Okayama University (Team Kyoyo) 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

<For inquiries about Okayama University's startups and ventures> Startup and Venture Creation Division, Organization for Research and Innovation Co-creation, Okayama University 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

Okayama University supports the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also received a special award at the first Japan SDGs Award by the government. Please look forward to Okayama University's progress as a regional core and distinctive research university promoting co-education and co-creation.

Okayama University has been selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's 'Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities (J-PEAKS)' - Co-creating the future of the region and the planet, and becoming a core of global innovation: Accelerating the realization of Okayama University as a research university and building a mountain range of world-class research universities in Japan.