张力 (Li Zhang)

Li was born in Lianyungang, Jiangsu in September 1993. He studied chemistry in China Agricultural University from 2011 to 2015, and then joined Jiao’s group in Tsinghua University as a graduate student.

During his PhD study, his most important contribution was the discovery and development of the N-boryl pyridyl anion chemistry, which resulted in fruitful research outcomes, including the organocatalytic radical borylation of aryl halides, ground- and excited-state redox catalysis, and pyridine derivatization.

Li obtaioned his PhD degree in 2020 as an excellent doctorate of Tsinghua Univeristy, and he was later selected as a 2020 Reaxys PhD Prize Finalist (global 45 winners). After graduation, he did postdoctoral study with Prof. Tobias Ritter at MPI für Kohlenforschung in Germany. In 2024 he joined the College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science of Soochow University to start his independent research.

Interests
  • Organocatalysis
  • Photoredox catalysis
Education

  • PhD in chemistry, 2020

    Tsinghua University

  • BSc in chemistry, 2015

    China Agricultural University

Publications

  1. Li Zhang, Fei-Yu Zhou, Lei Jiao* "N-Boryl Pyridyl Anion Chemistry." Acc. Chem. Res. 2025, 58, 1023-1035.
  2. Huan Yang, Li Zhang, Fei-Yu Zhou, Lei Jiao* "An Umpolung Approach to the Hydroboration of Pyridines: A Novel and Efficient Synthesis of N-H 1,4-Dihydropyridines." Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 742-747.
  3. Li Zhang, Zhong-Qian Wu, Lei Jiao* "Photoinduced Radical Borylation of Alkyl Bromides Catalyzed by 4-Phenylpyridine." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 2095-2099.
  4. Li Zhang, Lei Jiao* "Visible-Light-Induced Organocatalytic Borylation of Aryl Chlorides." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 9124-9128.
  5. Li Zhang, Lei Jiao* "Super Electron Donors Derived from Diboron." Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 2711-2722.
  6. Huan Yang, Li Zhang, Lei Jiao* "N-Methylanilines as Simple and Efficient Promoters for Radical-Type Cross-Coupling Reactions of Aryl Iodides." Chem. – Eur. J. 2017, 23, 65-69.
  7. Li Zhang, Lei Jiao* "Pyridine-Catalyzed Radical Borylation of Aryl Halides." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 607-610.
  8. Li Zhang, Huan Yang, Lei Jiao* "Revisiting the Radical Initiation Mechanism of the Diamine-Promoted Transition-Metal-Free Cross-Coupling Reaction." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 7151-7160.