Recently, Professor Lei Aiwen from the Institute of Advanced Studies at Wuhan University’s College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences has achieved significant results in the field of electrochemical organic synthesis. Several of his groundbreaking research results have been published in the international top journals Science and Nature, highlighting the profound strength and excellent innovation ability of a Wuhan University research team in this academic field. Under his careful guidance, his students have also emerged onto the international academic stage.

On July 12, Lei Aiwen's team pioneered the development of programmable waveform alternating current (pAC) synthesis technology, realizing copper-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling reaction of hydrogen evolution, and put forward a strategy to realize the precise control of metal catalytic species through programmable alternating current, solving the scientific problem that transition metal catalysts are prone to precipitate and deactivate at the cathode under direct current synthesis conditions.

On August 29, Lei Aiwen’s team proposed the use of electrocatalytic strategies, starting with the original electrode material, using cheap and readily available deuterium water as a deuterium source, to achieve the reduction deuteration of aromatic rings under mild conditions and, simultaneously, through the defluorination reaction series aromatic reduction reaction, the synthesis of saturated deuterated cyclic compounds. Thirteen deuterium-labeled drug molecules were successfully synthesized using this method, which fully demonstrated its great potential and broad prospects in drug development and practical application.

On November 15, Lei Aiwen and He Lin's research groups jointly explored a series of electrosynthesis and thermal synthesis to reduce CO2 to CO and achieve high-value conversion for the precise synthesis of asymmetric urea compounds. In this study, a synchronous and accurate recognition strategy was proposed to identify the intrinsic properties of two amines by combining the reactivity of different amines with different metals, enabling the highly selective coupling of multiple amines in oxidative carbonylation, and solving the key problem of the difficulty of distinguishing amines with similar properties in the same catalytic system.

The new technology of electrochemical synthesis has great potential for application in a wider range of fields, such as green material manufacturing, and is expected to develop into a new quality of productivity for use in  solving problems of environmental pollution, safety production risks and high energy consumption of the current productivity based on fossil energy.

Professor Lei Aiwen has adhered to the scientific spirit of ‘safety, drilling and obsession’ for nearly 20 years. ‘Safety’ derives from meditation and deep thinking, while ‘drilling’ deep into the scientific research problems to study, accompanied by an ‘obsession’ for experimental enthusiasm, alluding to a dedication to exploration, words and deeds to convey the original purpose of scientific research. He attaches great importance to students' independent scientific research ability, builds a comprehensive scientific research growth platform, provides opportunities for theoretical and practical learning of spectroscopy devices such as synchrotron radiation and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and builds a solid foundation for students' scientific research. He often engages in discussions with students, accepts suggestions, encourages participation in academic exchanges, and broadens academic horizons.

Nurtured by such a supportive academic atmosphere, Yang Qinghong, a doctoral student at the College of Chemistry and Molecular Science in the class of 2023, stands out. At the Junior Asian Core Program (ACP) 2024 conference held by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Yang Qinghong emerged from among 19 organic chemistry presenters in seven Asian countries and regions by virtue of an oral presentation entitled ‘Programmed Alternating Current Optimization of Cu-Catalyzed C-H Bonds Transformation’, winning The Lectureship Award, highlighting the profound academic foundation and frontier research capability of Wuhan University students. The result also reflects the scientific legacy and creative energy of Professor Lei Aiwen’s team.

Yang Qinghong at the meeting

The many achievements of Professor Lei Aiwen’s team and the effectiveness of student training are the epitome of Wuhan University’s mission to deepen scientific research innovation and practice education. In the future, the team is expected to continue to lead the development of electrochemical organic synthesis, inject scientific research strength into many fields, such as green manufacturing and pharmaceutical innovation, help the rise of new mass productivity, and solve the problems of environmental pollution, safety and energy consumption driven by traditional fossil energy.

Details of the meeting can be referred to: https://www.icceoca15.com/junior-acp-2024-copy

Rewritten by Hu Xinyu