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Details of the Faculty or Staff
Name  
 Yiyun Chen
Title  
   
Highest Education  
   
Office  
   345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, China, 200032
Phone  
   (86)21-54925508
Zip Code  
   200032
Fax  
   021-54925508
Email  
   yiyunchen@sioc.ac.cn

Education and Appointments：

Dr. Yiyun Chen is a Professor at Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, a member of the State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry of China, and a joint Professor at School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University. Chen performed undergraduate research on total synthesis under Professor Zhen Yang’s guidance at Peking University and graduated with honors in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. After a brief stint in Professor Joseph Z. Tsien’s group on neuroscience research, Chen earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 2007 in the group of Professor Chulbom Lee at Princeton University, where he developed general methods for geminal functionalization of alkynes under transition metal catalysis. As a postdoctoral associate at Professor David R. Liu’s group at Harvard University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chen focused on the development of biologically inspired methods and strategies. Using a DNA-encoded reaction-discovery system, he discovered a new biocompatible visible-light-induced azide reduction reaction. In fall 2011, Chen joined Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry as a Principal Investigator, with the research interest in biocompatible photochemistry, including organic photochemistry and photochemical biology.

Research Interest：

Professor Chen’s research group aims to develop new biocompatible light-induced chemical methods to study biology, including the discovery of light-induced chemical reactions, and the development of photochemical biology tools for photo-pharmacology, protein modifications, and native biological modulation. These new light-induced reactions enable: i) stable substrates with fast reaction kinetics, ii) versatile bond formations and cleavages, and iii) external modulation with high temporal and spatial precision, which are unmet needs for current biocompatible reactions.

Go and find more research details in websites: http://yiyunchen.sioc.ac.cn/ and twitter: @bio_photochem
Public Services：

Honors：
Chen’s academic and research accomplishments have earned distinctions including WuXi AppTec Life Science and Chemistry Award (2021), SIOC-Bayer Investigator Award (2021), Shanghai Academic/Technology Research Leader Award (2021), Shanghai Science and Technology Youth Award (2018), Thieme Chemistry Journal Award (2018), Perfect Light Excellent Young Scholar Award of Photochemistry in China (2017), NSFC Excellent Young Scholar Award (2016), Shanghai Pujiang Investigator Award (2012), Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellowship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry at Princeton University (2005), Peking University Mingde Scholarship (1998-2002), and Silver Medal in the 30th International Chemistry Olympiad (1998). Chen is the member of the advisory board of Organic Chemistry Frontiers, the remote reviewer of European Research Council, the member of the board of Chinese Chemical Society Photochemistry Session, the member of the board of Chinese Society for Imaging Science and Technology Photochemistry and Photobiology Session, the member of the executive board of Chinese Neuroscience Society Ion Chanel and Receptor Session, and the founding member of editorial board of ChemPhotoChem.
Selected Publication：

1. Zhang, Y.1; Tan, J.1; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Proteins Labeling in Live Cells with Aryl Azides. Chem. Commun. 2023, doi: 10.1039/D2CC06987C.  Invited Feature Article in Themed Collection “2023 Pioneering Investigators” and “Photofunctional Materials and Transformations”.

2. Liu, D.1; Yang, K.1; Fang, D.1; Li, S.; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Formyl Radical Generation from α-Chloro N-Methoxyphthalimides Enables Selective Aldehyde Synthesis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202213686. Highlighted by Chinese Academy of Sciences, X-MOL, CBG.

3. Zhang, Y.1; Han, L.1; Tian, X.; Peng, C.; Chen, Y.* Ligand-Directed Caging Enables the Control of Endogenous DNA Alkyltransferase Activity with Light inside Live Cells. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202115472. Highlighted by Wiley Chem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, X-MOL, CBG.

4. Liu, Z.; Wu, S.; Chen, Y.* Selective C(sp3)-C(sp3) Cleavage/Alkynylation of Cycloalkylamides Enables Aminoalkyne Synthesis with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents. ACS Catal. 2021, 11, 16, 10565-10573.

5. Wang, H.1; Zhang, Y.1; Zeng, K.1; Qiang, J.1; Cao, Y.; Li, Y.; Fang, Y.; Zhang, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Selective Mitochondrial Protein Labeling Enabled by Biocompatible Photocatalytic Reactions inside Live Cells. JACS Au2021, 1, 7, 1066-1075. Highlighted by NSFC Chemistry, and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

6. Zhang, J.1; Liu, D.1.; Liu, S.; Ge, Y.; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Alkoxyl Radicals Enable α-C(sp3)-H Bond Allylation.  iScience. 2020, 23, 100755.

7. Xie, S.; Li, D.; Huang, H.; Zhang, F.; Chen, Y.* Intermolecular Radical Addition to Ketoacids Enabled by Boron Activation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 11, 16237-16242. Highlighted by Chinese Academy of Sciences.

8. Wang, H; Li, W.; Zeng, K.; Wu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Xu, T.*; Chen, Y.* Photocatalysis Enables Visible Light Uncaging of Bioactive Molecules in Live Cells. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 561-565. Highlighted by Wiley China, Advanced Science News, and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

9. Chen, Y.*; Lu, L. Q.*; Yu, D. G.*; Zhu, C. J.*; Xiao, W. J.* Visible Light-Driven Organic Photochemical Synthesis in China.  Sci. China Chem. 2019, 62, 24-57. Invited Review.

10.Jia, K.; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Alkoxyl Radical Generation for Inert Chemical Bond Cleavage/Functionalizations.  Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 6105-6112.  Invited Feature Article.

11.Zhang, J.; Li, Y.; Xu, R.; Chen, Y.* Donor-Acceptor Complex Enables Alkoxyl Radical Generation for Metal-Free C(sp3)-C(sp3) Cleavage and Allylation/Alkenylation. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 12619-12623. Highlighted by Science Foundation in China, China Science Daily, Chin. J. Org. Chem. and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

12.Jia, K.; Pan, Y.; Chen, Y.* Selective Carbonyl-C(sp3) Bond Cleavage to Construct Ynamides, Ynoates, and Ynones by Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 2478–2481. Highlighted by Chin. J. Org. Chem. and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

13.Qi, L.; Chen, Y.* Polarity-Reversed Allylations of Aldehydes, Ketones, and Imines Enabled by Hantzsch Ester in Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 13312-13315.

14.Huang, H.1; Jia, K.1; Chen, Y.* Radical Decarboxylative Functionalizations Enabled by Dual Photoredox Catalysis.ACS Catal. 2016, 6, 4983-4988. Invited Perspective.

15.Jia, K.; Zhang, F.; Huang, H.; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Alkoxyl Radical Generation Enables Selective C(sp3)-C(sp3) Bond Cleavage and Functionalizations. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 128, 1514-1517. Highlighted by Organic Chemistry Portal. and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

16.Zhang, J.; Li, Y.; Zhang, F.; Hu, C.; Chen, Y.* Generation of Alkoxyl Radicals by Photoredox Catalysis Enables Selective C(sp3)-H Functionalization under Mild Reaction Conditions. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 1872-1875. Highlighted by Angew. Chem., Int. Ed.

17.Huang, H.1; Zhang, G.1; Chen, Y.* Dual Hypervalent Iodine (III) Reagents and Photoredox Catalysis Enable Decarboxylative Ynonylation under Mild Conditions. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 7872-7876. Highlighted by Chin. J. Org. Chem. and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

18.Huang, H.; Jia, K.; Chen, Y.* Hypervalent Iodine Reagents Enable Chemoselective Deboronative/Decarboxylative Alkenylation by Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 1881-1884. Highlighted by Synfacts.

19.Yang, J.; Zhang, J.; Qi, L.; Hu, C.; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Chemoselective Reductive Decarboxylative Alkynylation under Biomolecule-Compatible Conditions. Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 5275-5278. Invited Themed Collection “2015 Emerging Investigators”.

20.Huang, H.; Zhang, G.; Gong, L.; Zhang, S.; Chen, Y.*, Visible-Light-Induced Chemoselective Deboronative Alkynylation under Biomolecule-Compatible Conditions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 2280-2283. Highlighted by Chin. J. Org. Chem., Organic Chemistry Portal, and Synfacts.

21.Dumelin, C.; Chen, Y.; Leconte, A. M.; Chen, Y. G.; Liu, D. R.*, Discovery and Biological Characterization of Geranylated RNA in Bacteria. Nat. Chem. Bio. 2012, 8, 913-919.

22.Chen, Y.; Kamlet, A. S.; Steinman, J. B.; Liu, D. R.*, A Biomolecule-Compatible Visible-Light-Induced Azide Reduction from a DNA-Encoded Reaction-Discovery System. Nat. Chem. 2011, 3, 146-153.

23.Chen, Y.; Ho, D. M.; Lee, C.*, Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrative Cyclization of 1,5-Enynes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 12184-12185.

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