On November 15th, 2024, we were delighted to host Professor Lei Liu from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Shandong University, who gave the 121st lecture of the Shenzhen Medical Forum. The lecture was chaired by Associate Professor Guo-Kai Liu from the School of Pharmacy at Shenzhen University Medical School. ProfessorLei Liu delivered an academic presentation titled "Biomimetic Catalytic Asymmetric Oxidation" at the Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University.

In the lecture, Professor Lei Liu delivered an inspiring talk on novel asymmetric oxidation transformations enabled by biomimetic asymmetric catalysis. He explained that selective oxidation is a fundamental transformation in synthetic chemistry, and asymmetric oxidation, in particular, is the most straightforward approach to creating new chiral compounds with higher oxidation states. Significant progress has been made in the asymmetric oxidation of reactive functional groups such as alkenes and sulfides, which are routinely used in industrial applications. However, this important technique suffers from limitations in reaction and substrate categories. Inspired by biocatalytic models and enzymatic structures, Prof. Lei Liu aimed to develop novel asymmetric oxidation transformations by investigating a broader range of intact substrates. By utilizing newly designed biomimetic, earth-abundant metal catalysts, he systematically explored a series of typically inert substrates, including ethers, azides, aromatic systems, and C–H bonds, along with those substrates that are usually deactivated by metal catalysts, such as amines.

Professor Liu's lecture generated great interest and a warm response from the audience, followed by an energetic and interactive question-and-answer session. We thank Professor Lei Liu for his outstanding academic presentation and for his patient, detailed answers, which greatly benefited all the students and faculty in attendance. Finally, Associate Professor Guo-Kai Liu presented Professor Lei Liu with the "Shenzhen University Medicine Forum" Honorary Medal on behalf of the Shenzhen University Medical School.

Brief introduction of Speakers

Lei Liu

Professor Lei Liu is currently a professor at Shandong University. He completed his B.S. and M.Sc. degrees in Biochemistry at Lanzhou University under the supervision of Professor Rui Wang, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh with Professor Paul E. Floreancig. He then joined Professor Yoshito Kishi's group at Harvard University as a postdoctoral fellow. His research interests focus on developing new biomimetic asymmetric oxidation approaches for the construction of bioactive complex molecules and advancements in medicinal chemistry.