Photoswitchable Catalysis

Photoswitches are light-responsive molecules that undergo reversible structural changes upon irradiation.  Harnessing this dynamic behavior for catalysis offers a powerful strategy to control chemical reactivity with exquisite precision.  By integrating molecular photoswitches into catalytic systems, we aim to unlock a new dimension of reaction regulation.  Our present efforts are centered on the design of red-light-activable indigo photoswitches.

C‒F Functionalization

Fluorinated molecules occupy a central role across multiple scientific disciplines, yet the exceptional strength of the C–F bond renders its selective activation a formidable challenge.  Our research seeks to transform this challenge into opportunity by developing catalytic strategies that convert C–F bonds into versatile functional groups, thereby expanding the synthetic toolbox for building novel molecular architectures.  One current direction involves the employment and development of base-metal photoredox catalysis.

Dynamic Radical Chemistry

Radical chemistry has evolved into a cornerstone of modern synthesis, while its foundations largely rest on intermediates with fixed reactivity and selectivity.  This static paradigm limits the potential for adaptive, real-time control of chemical transformations.  Our group aims to develop new approaches to dynamically modulate radical properties in situ, opening avenues for programmable reactivity and spatiotemporal control.  These strategies are being merged with novel activation methods for incorporating abundant yet underutilized starting materials.

Across all research directions, we integrate computational chemistry and data science to help decode reaction mechanisms and establish quantitative structure–property–reactivity relationships.  These tools not only guide hypothesis-driven discovery but also accelerate the rational design of catalysts and reaction systems.