The
“Nankai-Scripps” Organic Chemistry Seminar was held on September 21st, 2017.
Prof. Yu Jinquan and Prof. Phil S. Baran (from the Scripps Research
Institute), Dr. Martin D. Eastgate (from Bristol-Myers Squibb), Prof. Guangxin Liang and Prof. Shoufei Zhu (from Nankai University) gave reports on
scientific progress in their respective fields. Approximately 200 teachers and
students attended the seminar. Prof. Gong Chen hosted the opening
ceremony and Prof. Jun Chen , Dean of the College of Chemistry, addressed the
opening ceremony.
At first, Prof. Yu
Jinquan made a report on "Enantioselective and Remote C-H Activation Reactions".
Prof. Yu received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Cambridge in 1999
and is working at the Scripps Research Institute. His research centers around
the discovery of catalytic carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming
reactions based on C-H activation. The synthetic applications of his
achievements help to shorten synthetic routes for natural products and drug
molecules. He is one of the best scientists in the field C-H activation and has
received the MacArthur Fellowship in 2016.
Prof. Phil S. Baran
then gave a report on "Translational Chemistry". Prof. Baran is leading his
generation to new heights of synthesis of natural products. His group completed
a number of breathtaking syntheses of natural products, including palau'amine,
vinigrol, etc. Baran was named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and became the member of
the National Academy of Sciences in 2017.
Dr. Martin D. Eastgate's
gave a report on "Innovation in the Synthesis of Complex Pharmaceutical
Compounds". Dr. Eastgate graduated from the University of Cambridge and is the
director of Chemical and Synthetic Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb. In the
past few years, he has been cooperating with Prof. Yu and Prof. Baran, to bridge
the gap between fundamental researches and applications.
Prof. Guangxin Liang gave a report on "User-friendly Synthesis" and Prof. Shoufei Zhu gave a
report on "Catalytic Hydrogen Transfer Reactions" on behalf of the College of
the Chemistry of Nankai University. Teachers and students attending the meeting
were deeply attracted by the charm of organic chemistry and communicated with
the speakers enthusiastically. "Nankai-Scripps” Organic Chemistry Seminar concluded in loud applause.
