On September 22th, invited by Prof. Tian He, Prof. Xie Zuowei (the National Outstanding Youth Fund Owner, from Chinese University of Hong Kong) visited our school. Prof. Xie first visited the Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials. Prof. Tian made a detailed introduction of the construction, development of the Key Lab. In the visit, Prof. Xie discussed with young teacher of the Key Laboratory and exchanged opinions. After the visit, Prof. Xie attended the 154th "Famous Teacher Forum" and gave a lecture titled "Transition Metal Catalyzed Functionalization of Carboranes". Prof. Wang Limin hosted the lecture and Prof. Tian He, Liu Peinian, Zhao Chunchang and Zou Gang also attended the lecture.
Carborane derivatives had broad application prospects because of its unique molecular structure, thermal stability and reactivity. In the lecture, Prof. Xie first introduced the structure characteristics of the carborane cage, highlighted the C2B10H12 with twenty octahedral geometry, included o-C2B10H12, m-C2B10H12, p-C2B10H12. Prof. Xie presented different types of carborane reaction by transition metal catalyzed functionalization of the carborane cage. For example, carborane-alkyne reaction could generate five-bridged ring and six-bridged ring product, and the main products of one configuration could be obtained by controlling the conditions. The reaction mechanism was studied in detail by captured stable intermediate in transfer metallization. Meanwhile, Prof. Xie pointed out the potential application of carborane in functional materials, medicine and other fields. After the lecture, Prof. Xie discussed with participants and exchanged opinions.
CV of Prof. Xie Zuowei:
Prof. Xie graduated from Hangzhou University in 1983 and got his Master degree of Science in Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry and his Ph.D at Technische Universität Berlin, Germany in 1990. From 1991 to 1995, Prof. Xie did his postdoctoral research work in the University of Southern California, USA. At present, Prof. Xie’s research interests include organometallic chemistry of f- and d-block transition metal complexes, chemistry of boron clusters, carboranes and metallacarboranes, homogenous catalysis and coordinative unsaturation, small molecule activation and polymer synthesis.
Prof. Xie Zuowei has been awarded a second-class award of the 2008 State Natural Science Award (SNSA). Prof. Xie’s research has a number of potential applications. The novel class of catalysts for olefin polymerizations he developed may lower the production cost of plastic materials, and dramatically reduce the metal impurities of these materials, thereby improving the purity of the products. A US patent has already been granted to his invention. On the other hand, the supercarboranes, Prof. Xie prepared may be a new class of reagents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, which can selectively destroy cancer cells upon radiation.
