AP Distinguished Seminar - My Research Experience: The Loss of Two Golden Opportunities

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Prof. XIONG Ren-Gen engaged in early research on MOFs since 1995, especially non-centrosymmetric MOFs, and discovered that the in-situ solvothermal synthesis method facilitated the construction of non-centrosymmetric tetrazole MOFs. He successfully captured the intermediate complexes formed during the synthesis of tetrazoles via a [2+3] cycloaddition reaction, revealing that Lewis acids played a catalytic role akin to that in click chemistry. This achievement was accomplished almost concurrently with the work of the 2022 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, K. Barry Sharpless, and, in certain aspects, even preceded the contributions of the other two co-recipients of the Nobel Prize. By employing this method, Prof. XIONG obtained a series of non-centrosymmetric tetrazole MOFs that were difficult to achieve through conventional approaches and conducted systematic investigations into their crystal structures and physical properties, such as ferroelectricity. These pioneering studies laid a solid foundation for his subsequent development of ferroelectrochemistry.
In this seminar, Prof. XIONG will review his research journey and share his profound insights on scientific research.