Jian-Qing Qi

PhD student

Tsinghua University

I am a PhD candidate in physical organic chemistry at Tsinghua University under the supervision of Prof. Lei Jiao, expecting to graduate in June 2027. I have been conducting research within the Jiao Research Group since 2018.

My work integrates advanced instrumental analysis with computational methods to investigate chemical reaction mechanisms in the fields of photochemistry and radical chemistry. I currently focus on radical-mediated processes by utilizing the U-PSD TREPR to monitor transient open-shell intermediates. This research includes a study on the overestimated halogen atom transfer reactivity of alpha-aminoalkyl radicals which was recognized with an oral presentation prize at the ACS Spring 2025 meeting.

My technical expertise spans four areas: chemical synthesis and mechanistic analysis; advanced spectroscopic characterization (transient absorption, steady-state/transient EPR, U-PSD TREPR); quantum chemical calculations (Gaussian, ORCA, xtb); and programming and AI-assisted coding (Python, MATLAB, Claude Code, Gemini CLI).

I was selected as one of thirty Chinese PhD students to participate in the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany and have received several awards at regional and international symposia.

My career objective is to lead a research group focused on radical chemistry and mechanistic innovation while providing mentorship to future generations of researchers.

Selected publications

Overestimated Halogen Atom Transfer Reactivity of α-Aminoalkyl Radicals

Weiqun Suo^‡, Jian-Qing Qi^‡, Jing Liu, and 3 more authors

J. Am. Chem. Soc., Sep 2024

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Halogen atom transfer (XAT) is a versatile method for generating carbon radicals. Recent interest has focused on α-aminoalkyl radicals as potential XAT reagents, previously reported to exhibit reactivity comparable to tin radicals. Utilizing an advanced time-resolved EPR technique, the XAT reactions between α-aminoalkyl radicals and organic halides were examined, allowing direct observation of the process through EPR spectroscopy and analysis of radical kinetics. Second-order rate constants for these reactions were determined, with some validated using transient absorption spectroscopy. The key finding is that the reactivity of α-aminoalkyl radicals in XAT reactions is 103 to 105 times lower than that of tin and silicon radicals and only slightly higher than alkyl radicals. This challenges the belief that α-aminoalkyl radicals are as reactive as tin radicals. The study on the solvent effect indicates that the XAT reaction of α-aminoalkyl radicals does not involve a highly polarized transition state, suggesting that the kinetic polar effect in this XAT process is not as significant as previously believed. The present study provides a reliable XAT reactivity scale for α-aminoalkyl radicals, which is crucial for designing XAT reactions and understanding their mechanisms.
Direct observation of all open-shell intermediates in a photocatalytic cycle

Jian-Qing Qi^‡, Weiqun Suo^‡, Jing Liu, and 3 more authors

J. Am. Chem. Soc., Mar 2024

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Molecular photocatalysis has shown tremendous success in sustainable energy and chemical synthesis. However, visualizing the intricate mechanisms in photocatalysis is a significant and long-standing challenge. By employing our recently developed sensitivity-enhanced time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance technique, we directly observed all radicals and radical ions involved in the photocatalytic addition of a tertiary amine to tert-butyl acrylate. The full picture of the photocatalytic cycle has been vividly illustrated by the fine structures, chemical kinetics, and dynamic spin polarization of all open-shell intermediates directly observed in this prototypical system. Given the universality of this methodology, we believe it greatly empowers the research paradigm of direct observation in both photocatalysis and radical chemistry.

Updates

Jul 14, 2025	Selected for the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Mar 23, 2025	Oral Presentation Prize at ACS Spring 2025
Apr 21, 2024	Outstanding Presentation Award at the 5th Beijing-Tianjin Organic Chemistry Symposium