Prof. Gavin Chit Tsui Delivers Lecture at Kaohsiung Medical University
On May 28, 2025, Professor Gavin Chit Tsui, from the Department of Chemistry, at the Chinese University of Hong Long, a leading figure in the field of synthetic organic fluorine chemistry, delivered a highly anticipated lecture titled “Transition Metal-Catalyzed Defluorinated Functionalization of Fluorinated and Perfluoroalkylated Alkenes” at the Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University.
In this lecture, Professor Tsui presented groundbreaking advances in organofluorine chemistry, focusing on the selective activation and functionalization of robust carbon–fluorine (C–F) bonds—one of the most challenging transformations in modern synthetic science. He captivated an audience of students, faculty, and researchers with cutting-edge strategies that enable the construction of highly substituted fluorinated alkenes using rhodium- and palladium-catalyzed defluorinative coupling reactions. These innovative methods offer excellent regio- and stereoselectivity, expanding the synthetic toolbox for designing complex fluorinated structures.
A major highlight of the lecture was Professor Tsui’s work on converting fluoroform (CHF₃)—a potent greenhouse gas and industrial byproduct—into a valuable trifluoromethylating reagent through copper-catalyzed processes, representing a significant stride in sustainable and green chemistry.
Professor Tsui earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto under the mentorship of Professor Mark Lautens and went on to conduct postdoctoral research with Professor Benjamin List—recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for asymmetric catalysis, at the Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung in Germany. Since joining The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2015, he has established a vibrant, internationally recognized research group at the frontier of transition-metal catalysis and selective bond activation.
He has authored numerous influential publications in top-tier journals, including Chemical Science, Organic Letters, and Angewandte Chemie, and has received prestigious honors such as the Thieme Chemistry Journals Award, the Asian Core Program Lectureship Award, and early-career recognition from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Professor Tsui’s research has had a transformative impact on the field of synthetic organic chemistry, especially in selective C–H and C–F bond functionalization, dual catalysis, and radical-mediated transformations. His innovative approaches continue to shape new paradigms for the efficient and sustainable synthesis of complex molecular architectures.
