我们的研究聚焦于如何活化和高值化利用氟化学工业中大量产生的惰性氟化副产物这一挑战。通过采用弱键导向的活化策略，我们开发了定制化的活化基团，包括肟酯、磺酰咪唑盐、N-羟基氨基甲酸酯和肼基甲酸酯，将工业氟化学品转化为新型氟化试剂和功能性构建模块。该方法能够在实现氟化原料向高附加值氟化产品可持续转化的同时，减轻氯氟烃及相关氟化废物排放所带来的环境影响。通过发展光催化方法，我们实现了对三氟乙酸、三氟甲磺酸、硫酰氟、HCFC-22和三氟乙醇等大宗氟化学品的温和、选择性转化。这些研究克服了传统氧化还原活性试剂在含氟官能团转移中的固有局限，将键活化的范围拓展至超越传统策略的能量限制和键断裂模式，并为弱化学键的选择性断裂提供了基础性的机理见解。
Our research focuses on addressing the challenge of activating and valorizing inert fluorinated byproducts generated in large quantities by the fluorochemical industry. By employing a weak-bond-guided activation strategy, we develop tailored activating groups, including oxime esters, sulfonyl imidazolium salts, N-hydroxy carbamates, and hydrazine carboxylates, to transform industrial fluorochemicals into novel fluorinated reagents and functional building blocks. This approach enables the sustainable conversion of fluorinated feedstocks into value-added fluorochemical products while mitigating the environmental impact associated with the emission of chlorofluorocarbons and related fluorinated wastes. Through the development of photocatalytic methodologies, we have achieved the mild and selective transformation of bulk fluorochemical commodities, including trifluoroacetic acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, sulfuryl fluoride, HCFC-22, and trifluoroethanol. These studies overcome the inherent limitations of conventional redox-active reagents in fluorinated functional-group transfer, expand the scope of bond activation beyond the energy constraints and bond-cleavage patterns of traditional strategies, and provide fundamental mechanistic insights into the selective cleavage of weak chemical bonds.
Selected Publication
1. Bench-stable azidodifluoromethyl imidazolium reagents unlock the synthetic potential of carbonimidic difluorides, Zhen Wang（王震）; Zhen Wang（王桢）; Xuewen Guo; Jing Liu; Lei Yu; Yi Pan; Weigang Zhang*; Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2025, 16, 11537.
2. Reductive sulfinylation by nucleophilic chain isomerization of sulfonylpyridinium, Yifan Li; Weigang Zhang*; Jeonguk Kweon*; Yi Pan; Qing Wang; Sukbok Chang*; Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2025, 16, 377.
3. A practical photocatalytic strategy for radical (deuterio)difluoromethylation from imidazolium reagents, Chao Sun; Yinpu Shen; Heyin Li; Zhen Wang; Yifan Li; Mengjun Huang; Zhenlei Zou; Jing Liu; Ao Liu; Yi Pan; Weigang Zhang*; Yi Wang*, Chem. Sci., 2025,16, 16039-16046.
4. A practical fluorosulfonylating platform via photocatalytic imidazolium-based SO2F radical reagent, Weigang Zhang; Heyin Li; Xiaojuan Li; Zhenlei Zou; Mengjun Huang; Jiyang Liu; Xiaochen Wang; Shengyang Ni; Yi Pan & Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 3515.
我们的研究聚焦于如何活化和高值化利用氟化学工业中大量产生的惰性氟化副产物这一挑战。通过采用弱键导向的活化策略，我们开发了定制化的活化基团，包括肟酯、磺酰咪唑盐、N-羟基氨基甲酸酯和肼基甲酸酯，将工业氟化学品转化为新型氟化试剂和功能性构建模块。该方法能够在实现氟化原料向高附加值氟化产品可持续转化的同时，减轻氯氟烃及相关氟化废物排放所带来的环境影响。通过发展光催化方法，我们实现了对三氟乙酸、三氟甲磺酸、硫酰氟、HCFC-22和三氟乙醇等大宗氟化学品的温和、选择性转化。这些研究克服了传统氧化还原活性试剂在含氟官能团转移中的固有局限，将键活化的范围拓展至超越传统策略的能量限制和键断裂模式，并为弱化学键的选择性断裂提供了基础性的机理见解。
Our research focuses on addressing the challenge of activating and valorizing inert fluorinated byproducts generated in large quantities by the fluorochemical industry. By employing a weak-bond-guided activation strategy, we develop tailored activating groups, including oxime esters, sulfonyl imidazolium salts, N-hydroxy carbamates, and hydrazine carboxylates, to transform industrial fluorochemicals into novel fluorinated reagents and functional building blocks. This approach enables the sustainable conversion of fluorinated feedstocks into value-added fluorochemical products while mitigating the environmental impact associated with the emission of chlorofluorocarbons and related fluorinated wastes. Through the development of photocatalytic methodologies, we have achieved the mild and selective transformation of bulk fluorochemical commodities, including trifluoroacetic acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, sulfuryl fluoride, HCFC-22, and trifluoroethanol. These studies overcome the inherent limitations of conventional redox-active reagents in fluorinated functional-group transfer, expand the scope of bond activation beyond the energy constraints and bond-cleavage patterns of traditional strategies, and provide fundamental mechanistic insights into the selective cleavage of weak chemical bonds.
Selected Publication
1. Bench-stable azidodifluoromethyl imidazolium reagents unlock the synthetic potential of carbonimidic difluorides, Zhen Wang（王震）; Zhen Wang（王桢）; Xuewen Guo; Jing Liu; Lei Yu; Yi Pan; Weigang Zhang*; Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2025, 16, 11537.
2. Reductive sulfinylation by nucleophilic chain isomerization of sulfonylpyridinium, Yifan Li; Weigang Zhang*; Jeonguk Kweon*; Yi Pan; Qing Wang; Sukbok Chang*; Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2025, 16, 377.
3. A practical photocatalytic strategy for radical (deuterio)difluoromethylation from imidazolium reagents, Chao Sun; Yinpu Shen; Heyin Li; Zhen Wang; Yifan Li; Mengjun Huang; Zhenlei Zou; Jing Liu; Ao Liu; Yi Pan; Weigang Zhang*; Yi Wang*, Chem. Sci., 2025,16, 16039-16046.
4. A practical fluorosulfonylating platform via photocatalytic imidazolium-based SO2F radical reagent, Weigang Zhang; Heyin Li; Xiaojuan Li; Zhenlei Zou; Mengjun Huang; Jiyang Liu; Xiaochen Wang; Shengyang Ni; Yi Pan & Yi Wang*, Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 3515.