Organic chemistry

It is a discipline that studies the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic substances. It is a very important branch of chemistry. The object of organic chemistry research is the substance containing carbon atoms in different forms, also known as the chemistry of carbon compounds. Research on the structure of organic compounds or organic substances includes using spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, or other physical or chemical methods to confirm the molecular structure and molecular formulas. The research teams of Organic chemistry in THU are dedicated to the study of photochromism, organic optoelectronic materials, organometallic, biochemistry, and asymmetric synthesis.

 

Photochromism

Photochromism refers to a reversible phototransformation of a chemical species between two forms having different absorption spectra. Compounds with photochromic properties may have a wide range of applications in the area of photonic materials and optical memory devices. The most well-known organic photochromic colorants include spiropyrans, spirooxazines, chromenes, fulgides, and diarylethenes. While modifications of the existing photochromes may still generate compounds with unprecedented properties, the faculty members at the Department of Chemistry of Tunghai University have devoted themselves into the rational design of new classes of organic photochromic dyes with novel molecular scaffolds and mechanisms as suitable materials for aforementioned applications. In additional of organic photochromism, efforts have also been put into the development of other organic functional materials such as thermochromism, piezochromism, and electrochromism.

Organic photoelectronics

Design framework by using organic synthesis, it can be applied for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), and biomedical imaging (photodynamic therapy). Advances in synthesis capabilities and efficiency allow freedom of molecular design. We are designing novel photoelectric material molecules to achieve higher charge extraction and charge transfer to achieve high power conversion efficiency; in order to develop more effective luminescent materials, optical reporters and molecular delivery carriers to allow the integration of biological systems and therapeutic drugs are delivered to the cells for photodynamic therapy.

Organometallic

Our research focuses on the design and synthesis of organometallic complexes with emphasis on small molecule reactions under solvothermal or mechanochemical conditions. In particular we utilize group 9 metal porphyrin complexes of distinct metalloradical reactivity to activate inert chemical bond. Thermodynamic, kinetic and structural studies are used to understand the reactivity and obtain insightful mechanistic details to construct catalytic processes.

 

Bioorganic Chemistry

Researchers at our department also engage in developing the synthetic methods to synthesize bioactive heterocyclic, natural product or peptide molecules. These compounds are to be evaluated for their potential activity in cancer therapy, treatment for disorders of central nervous system or as new class of antibiotics.

Asymmetric Synthesis

Synthesis of chiral compounds via asymmetric catalysis is an important research area for synthetic chemistry and pharmaceutical communities due to the prevalence of chirality in natural products and biologically active molecules. Our recent studies focus on stereoselective C-N bond formation reactions via synergistic palladium and Brønsted acid catalysis. The stereoinduction and reaction mechanism were investigated through statistical modeling

Associated Faculty

	Ding-Yah Yang Professor
	Yuan Jay Chang Professor
	Cheng-Che Tsai Assistant Professor
	Ching Tat To Assistant Professor