LLLiu Group

Al still has plenty of surprises. Thanks, C&EN!

Untapped catalytic ability of aluminium has been unlocked Could the discovery of a catalyst in which aluminium shifts easily between oxidation states be the beginning of the end for costly transition-metal catalysts?

Could the discovery of a catalyst in which aluminium shifts easily between oxidation states be the beginning of the end for costly transition-metal catalysts?

go.nature.com/4rkI0AW

Aluminium redox catalysis enables cyclotrimerization of alkynes - Nature Aluminium redox catalysis is achieved with a low-valent aluminium species, carbazolylaluminylene, enabling cyclotrimerization of alkynes and producing diverse benzene derivatives.

Nature research paper: Aluminium redox catalysis enables cyclotrimerization of alkynes

go.nature.com/4raxrQF

Aluminylenes: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Catalysis ConspectusFor many years, carbenes were regarded as fleeting intermediates, elusive to both isolation and direct observation. This perception was overturned when Bertrand isolated the first singlet ca...

Our journey with aluminylenes. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

A crystalline isodiazomethyl anion - Nature Synthesis A boryl-isodiazomethyl anion featuring a bent eneyne-type B=N–N≡C scaffold is isolated and structurally characterized. The highly nucleophilic boron-bound nitrogen centre makes this species an effecti...

Our team has isolated a metal-free crystalline isodiazomethyl anion, a key carbon/nitrogen motif long absent in synthetic chemistry. Dive into our @natsynth.nature.com paper for all the details. Congrats to Hongyu and Jiancheng!
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

I will always remember this moment in Budapest, July 11, 2018, when he stopped at my poster, engaged with genuine curiosity, and offered encouragement that meant the world to a young researcher.
Thank you, Prof. Roesky, for your science, your kindness, and your inspiration.

Many thanks Fabian!

A base-stabilized germavinylidene - Nature Communications Germavinylidenes, the heavier congeners of vinylidenes, have long remained elusive, both as free species and in Lewis base-stabilized forms. Herein, the authors report the isolation of a base-stabiliz...

Our latest publication on isolation of base-supported germavinylidene: online now @natcomms.nature.com Congratulations to everyone involved! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Thanks Jiaxiang!!!

Crystalline Plumbynes Despite more than a century of organolead chemistry, all isolable organolead compounds have thus far been confined to Pb–C single bonds. Here we disclose the synthesis, structural authentication, and ...

Happy to share our latest publication on isolation of plumbynes @jacs.acspublications.org pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Big Congrats Josh. Fantastic work! Looking forward to more.

Many thanks Jiaxiang!

Many thanks Josh!

A Crystalline Monomeric Diboryl Diazene Azo compounds (R─N═N─R′) are a foundational class of nitrogen-containing molecules. In contrast to the bench-stability of many azo derivatives, monomeric diboryl diazenes (R2BN═NBR2) have long eluded ...

We’ve been quiet for a while, but here’s something exciting: hot off the press: a crystalline monomeric diboryl diazene @jacs.acspublications.org pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Metal-centred planar [15]annulenes - Nature An aromatic metallo-annulene, comprising a 15-carbon macrocycle enclosing an osmium complex, with the metal residing within the plane of the macrocycle is reported.

Nature research paper: Metal-centred planar [15]annulenes.

https://go.nature.com/3YqZj70

Click Chemistry: Reactions of a Diazomethyl Anion with Unsaturated Bonds† We report facile [3+2] cycloaddition reactions utilizing potassium diazaphospholidinyl diazomethylide as an electron-rich 1,3-dipole, reacting with various dipolarophiles. The regioselectivity of the...

Now online: Our latest publication on Click Chemistry of a Diazomethyl Anion with Unsaturated Bonds in Chinese Journal of Chemistry 2025 Emerging Investigators Issue onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

We are honored!

Crystalline Silagermenides as Powerful Synthons: Unraveling π‐Bonding and Lone Pair Effects in the Multiple Bonds of Heavier Main Group Analogs of the Vinyl Anion Compared to common vinyl anions, their heavier heteronuclear analog, silagermenides [R2Si═GeR]ˉ, remain exceedingly rare. Herein, we present a systematic investigation of silagermenides, synthesized ...

Congratulations to Xue-Yi and the team for their efforts in isolating silagermenides and uncovering their unconventional reactivity profiles. This achievement has been accepted for publication @angewandtechemie.bsky.social

​https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202505940