RESEARCH INTERESTS

Our research interest is the application of organocatalysis and photocatalysis in both small molecule and  polymer synthesis, with a further extension to medicinal and materials chemistry.

Current research projects are aiming to develop organocatalytic (metal-free) polymerization via different mechanisms, particularly with stereo(tacticity)-, temporal-, and spatial-control, with a focus on new catalyst and new catalytic system development. We are also interesed in the methodology development, with a current focus on radical fluorosulfonylation and photoinduced biomass transformation.

I. Organocatalytic Polymerization

With a focus on new organocatalyst and new catalytic system development. Controlled radical polymerization (ATRP, RAFT), living ring-opening  polymerization, cationic polymerization, as well as stereoselective polymerization have been developed in this lab by employing organocatalysts or organocatalytic systems.

II. Sulfonyl Fluoride Chemistry

We are interested in the development of new reagents and radical fluorosulfonylation methods for the synthesis of sulfonyl fluorides, and further application of sulfonyl fluorides and SuFEx chemistry in polymer synthesis.