1. 手性乳液催化剂的设计、合成及应用。
在水油两相体系中，利用油水双亲性催化剂分子在界面组装形成纳米到微米级的分子聚集体作为“微反应器”催化手性反应，实现调变反应性能、产物分离和催化剂的回收使用。
2. 手性材料的合成、表征及应用。
将有机合成、材料化学及手性催化结合起来，合成具有手性催化功能单元的材料，在分子尺度上对手性材料进行调控，调变其在催化反应中的催化性能并实现催化剂的回收使用。
3. 新型手性有机小分子催化剂的设计、合成及应用。
从生物催化，特别是酶催化的催化机理入手，设计、合成结构新颖的手性有机小分子催化剂，完成全新的和尚未解决的不对称催化反应。

1994-1998 兰州大学化学系有机化学专业.

1998-2001 四川绵阳工程物理研究院化工材料研究所 工程师

2001-2006     中国科学院上海有机化学研究所硕博连读

2006-2009     美国Brandeis大学Li Deng小组博士后 

2010.1-         中国科学院大连化物所"所**计化"

1. 物理化学或有机化学-化学耦合酶催化反应合成氨基酸和糖类物质
2. 物理化学或有机化学-光催化有机反应研究

代表性文章 REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS
2011年之后

1.  Electrochemical CO₂ Fixation with Amines to Synthesize α-Amino Acid. Yimeng Cao, Jun Chen, Chunmei Ding, Ying Zhang, Haibo Chi, Yan Liu,* and Can Li * Chem. Catal., 2024, 4, 101158

2.  Diastereo-divergent Synthesis of Chiral Hindered Ether by Calcium(II)/Gold(I) Catalyzed Cascade Hydration/1, 4-addition. Xiangfeng Lin, Xia Mu, Hongqiang Cui, Qian Li, Zhaochi Feng, Yan Liu,* Guohui Li,* and Can Li* Nat.Communs. 2024, 15, 10.1038/s41467-024-47951-9.

3. Biomimetic Approach to the Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetracyclic Isochroman. Xiangfeng Lin, Xianghui Liu, Kai Wang, Qian Li, Yan Liu,* and Can Li * Nature.communications. 2021, 12, 4958.

4. Enantioselective Reactions of 2-Sulfonylalkyl Phenols with Allenic Esters: Dynamic Kinetic Resolutions and [4+2] Cycloadditions Involving ortho-quinone methide Intermediates. Ping Chen, Kai Wang, Wengang Guo, Xianghui Liu, Yan Liu* and Can Li* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2017, 56, 3689.

5. Formal Asymmetric Catalytic Thiolation for the Synthesis of Benzyl Thiols with Bifunctional Catalyst on the Water-oil Interface. Wengang Guo, Bo Wu, Xin Zhou, Ping Chen, Xu Wang, Yong-Gui Zhou, Yan Liu,* Can Li*  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201409894

6. Well-defined BiOCl Colloidal Ultrathin Nanosheets with High Performance in Photocatalytic Aerobic Oxidation of Secondary Amines. Yihui Wu, Bo Yuan, Mingrun Li, Wen-Hua Zhang,* Yan Liu,* Can Li * Chemical Science., 2015, 6, 1873.

7. The Synthesis of Chiral Isotetronic Acids with Amphiphilic Imidazole / Pyrrolidine Catalysts Assembled in Oil-in-Water Emulsion Droplets. Boyu Zhang, Zongxuan Jiang, Xin Zhou, Shengmei Lu, Yan Liu*, Can Li*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 13159.


2011年之前（博士和博士后阶段）
1. Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Simple Alkyl Thiols with Bifunctional Catalysts  
Yan Liu, Bingfeng Sun, Baomin Wang, Wakem Matthew, Li Deng* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 418.
2. Catalytic Enantioselective Peroxidation of a,b-Unsaturated Ketones
Xiaojie Lu, Yan Liu, Bingfeng Sun, Brittany Cindric , Li Deng* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 8134.
3. Asymmetric Diels-Alder Reactions of 2-Pyrones with Bifunctional Organic Catalysts  
Yi Wang, Hongming Li, Yong-Qiang Wang, Yan Liu, Bruce M. Foxman, Li Deng* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 6364.
4. Hydrogen-Bonding makes a difference in the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation using monodentate phosphoramidites
Yan Liu, Christan A. Sandoval, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Xue Zhang, Zheng Wang, Koichi Kato, Kuiling Ding*  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 14212.
5. Modular Monodentate Phosphoramidite Ligands for Rhodium Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation 
Yan Liu, Kuiling Ding* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 10488.
6. Structural Study-Guided Development of Versatile Phase-Transfer Catalysts for Asymmetric Conjugate Additions of Cyanide 
Brian A. Provencher, Keith J. Bartelson, Yan Liu, Bruce M. Foxman, Li Deng*. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2011, 50, 10565.
7. Highly enantioselective asymmetric Darzens reactions with a phase transfer catalyst
 Yan Liu, Brian A. Provencher, Keith J. Bartelson, Li Deng, Chem. Sci., 2011, 2, 1301.

上海市2008年度自然科学奖一等奖（排名第五）
2009年度国家自然科学奖二等奖（排名第五）
2014年基金委优秀青年基金的资助
2014 Thieme Chemistry Journals Award