Research Overview
The development of heterogeneous catalysts with high activity, selectivity, and stability is essential for rendering catalytic organic reactions practically useful, since they provide highly recyclable, scalable, and efficient setups in many large-scale chemical processes. Additionally, these catalysts may be utilized in continuous flow systems, which facilitates facile automation and improves product quality through easy separation. While numerous organic transformations have been achieved in homogeneous catalytic systems, the needs for addressing their synthetic limitations, such as high catalyst loadings, poor selectivity, and employment of toxic and expensive reagents, represent challenges and opportunities for the coming generation of chemists. Designing novel catalysts that marry the benefits of heterogeneous catalysis with those of homogeneous catalysis to solve the long-standing problems in organic synthesis is compelling and highly desirable.
direction 1
We design highly tunable solid matrices that can facilitate effective electron transfer and/or radical trapping processes, providing opportunities to further increase the catalytic reactivity compared with their homogeneous counterparts.
direction 2
We synthesize functionalized polymers for heterogeneous catalysis. The synergistic effect of the dual-ligand systems may help promote the organic reactions which are difficult to realize in homogeneous transition-metal catalysis.
direction 3
We collaborate with other synthetic biology labs to develop highly selective coupling reactions using artificial metalloenzymes.