Designing a good catalyst is a delicate balance between steric and electronic properties, say researchers in Japan 

Asymmetric catalysis using metal complexes is a powerful way to make chiral molecules, say Masakatsu Shibasaki and Shigeki Matsuanga at the University of Tokyo. The best catalysts have carefully designed ligands that not only fine-tune the metal centre's reactivity, they say, but also control the reactant's approach to the metal. 

Shibasaki and Matsuanga used their own experiences in new ligand development to clarify this design process. 'A delicate balance between the steric and electronic properties of the catalyst determines the reaction efficiency' said Shibasaki. 

James Mitchell Crow