Contents

Recently, the research teams led by Professor Aiwen Lei from Wuhan University and Professor Lin He from Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a significant breakthrough in asymmetric urea synthesis. Their research results, titled "Synchronous recognition of amines in oxidative carbonylation toward unsymmetrical ureas" were published in the prestigious international journal "Science" on November 15th.

 

Published in "Science" with the Support of CIQTEK EPR

 

Unsymmetrical ureas are important compounds widely used in medicine, agriculture, and materials science. The synthesis of unsymmetrical ureas through amine reactions is the most effective method. However, achieving high selectivity in synthesizing unsymmetrical ureas is challenging due to the competitive reactivity of the two amines. So far, no metal-catalyzed method can efficiently and selectively recognize and install multiple amines at the same site.

 

In their research, the teams deeply analyzed the electron transfer process between copper salts and amines and successfully detected the in situ-generated ammonium radical cation and its captured radical species with DMPO during the reaction. This provided crucial evidence for revealing the copper ion-mediated free radical activation mechanism of secondary amines. Combining the selective nucleophilic activation of primary amines by cobalt catalysts, the teams designed a "synchronous recognition strategy" that achieved efficient carbonylation reactions of a 1:1 molar ratio of two amines, producing highly selective unsymmetrical urea products.

 

This achievement provides new avenues for the industrial production of unsymmetrical urea compounds and is expected to have broad applications in fields such as medicine and agriculture. It also demonstrates the precise characterization capabilities of the EPR spectrometer developed by CIQTEK, providing strong support for researchers to deepen their understanding of reaction mechanisms and develop innovative synthesis strategies.

 

The research paper was published in "Science" and can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0149

 

A "Timely Rain" that Achieves Customer Satisfaction, Scripting a Success Story

 

Behind this achievement is a story of collaboration between CIQTEK and the research team. In October 2021, an imported EPR spectrometer at the College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, encountered a sudden malfunction.

 

After contacting the manufacturer, they learned that the repair would take a long time. This posed a challenge for the experimental work of the faculty and students.

 

In December of the same year, at the invitation of the faculty, engineers from CIQTEK overcame the challenges posed by the pandemic and arrived on-site to troubleshoot the issue. They quickly identified a problem with the magnet power supply and immediately provided a solution.

 

On the same day, they completed the hardware repair, performance calibration, and standard sample testing, restoring the equipment to normal operation.

 

The university expressed its gratitude to CIQTEK, stating, "During the instrument failure, our college was unable to use the equipment for experimental work for two months.

 

The support provided by CIQTEK was like a 'timely rain,' allowing us to continue with multiple research projects. In this equipment repair, we witnessed the solid and reliable technical expertise of CIQTEK's EPR team and experienced the high sense of responsibility of high-end scientific instrument manufacturers. The team's quick response, strong capabilities, and high efficiency exemplify the model of scientific instrument manufacturers."

 

In 2023, the Center for Optoelectronic Nanocatalysis and Industrial Applications at the Wuhan University Institute of Advanced Studies introduced the EPR spectrometer, which played a significant role in the team's research. As CIQTEK continues to make breakthroughs in EPR spectrometers, the company is also increasing its efforts to cultivate professional talent.

 

From Technology to Talent, Together Towards an Innovative Future

 

The achievement is closely related to the in-depth research of the team led by Professor Lei Aiwen at Wuhan University in the field of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) technology. Over the past four months, Lei Aiwen's team has continuously published high-level research papers in "Science" (2 papers), "Nature" and "Nature Chemistry".

 

CIQTEK, in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology of China and the Instrument Application Demonstration Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has established three major course systems:

 

v “Advanced EPR Workshop” 

 

v “Spectroscopy Campus Tour”

 

v “EPR Application Sharing and Exchange Conference.”

 

Through these courses, which gradually progress in complexity and combine theory with practice, multidisciplinary interaction in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy is continuously promoted.

 

In October of this year, CIQTEK officially released the world's first AI-EPR Spectrometer, achieving a breakthrough in the field. In the future, with the continuous advancement of EPR technology and ongoing product innovation, this powerful scientific research tool will undoubtedly help more research teams overcome technical barriers and promote continuous original breakthroughs in chemistry, materials, biology, and other fields.