1. Asymmetric Catalysis

Nature has demonstrated its incredible wisdom by creating a myriad of life forms on Earth. Notably, the robust and remarkable driving forces behind the activities of all living organisms are the enzymatic chemical reactions that occur within them. Enzymes typically consist of a reactive center surrounded by co-factors, which play a crucial role in enzyme reactivity by forming multiple interactions with substrates. Chemists have dedicated significant efforts to the study of molecular organo- and metallo-catalysts, achieving remarkable progress. However, the mimicking of enzymes using small molecular catalysts—specifically, the organized combination of organo- and metallo-catalysts—still lags behind the complexity of natural enzymatic systems. The main challenges arise from the difficulty of constructing three-dimensional cavity mimics that resemble enzymes. Despite these challenges, the potential scientific benefits are compelling, particularly given that enzymes are often vulnerable and sensitive to reaction conditions, making them difficult to scale up compared to small molecular catalysts. To address these challenges, various strategies will be introduced, including theoretical studies, high-throughput screening, and combinatorial chemistry. While it is difficult to categorize this work as purely enzymatic or biomimetic catalysis, our goal is to develop more efficient and robust catalysts that can compete with enzymes. Ultimately, we aim to utilize these catalysts to effectively construct chiral molecules for applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

2. Electrochemical and Photochemical Organic Synthesis

The essence of chemical reactions lies in electron transfer and redistribution, which are fundamental to bond breaking and formation. Electric fields can induce imbalances in electrons within chemical bonds, while photons can excite bonding electrons to higher energy levels, both stimuli accelerate bond cleavage. Electricity is considered one of the greenest reagents, as it uses electrons as redox agents, and photosynthesis has proven to be one of the most vital reactions for humanity. Over the last century, significant advancements have been made in organic synthesis, resulting in the production of a wide variety of chemical products. However, many chemical production processes are highly polluting and energetically costly, leading to various environmental challenges. Therefore, the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly chemical reactions driven by electricity and light remains a central theme in synthetic chemistry. We aim to integrate organo- and metallo-catalysis with electrochemical and photochemical synthesis to create more environmentally benign and economically viable processes.