Our research group has been engaged in metal-organic chemistry research for a long time, and has achieved good results in the construction and reactivity of metal-metal bond compounds, metal-induced small molecule activation, and metal-organic supramolecular assembly. Hosted and participated in a number of National Natural science foundation and other projects. He has published more than 150 SCI papers, won the Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Award, the Chinese Academy of Sciences "100 People Program", "Lu Jiaxi Excellent Mentor Award" and other honors.

1. Synthesis of metal-metal bonds and low-priced metal complexes
2. Metal-induced small molecule activation
3. Supramolecular metal-organic Chemistry

1995.09-1998.06 Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry, Institute of Functional Materials, Fuzhou University 1992.09-1995.06 Lanzhou University, Master of Science in Inorganic Chemistry
1988.09-1992.06 Lanzhou University, Bachelor of Science in Inorganic Chemistry

2020.11-present Professor/PhD Supervisor, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology
2013.04-2020.10 School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwestern University, Professor/Doctoral Supervisor
2005.09-2013.04 Researcher/Doctoral Supervisor, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
1999.05-2005.09 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Geneva, Switzerland, Georgia, USA

1. L. Liang, W. Zhao,* X.-J. Yang, B. Wu,* Anion-Coordination-Driven Assembly. Acc. Chem. Things. 2022, 55, 3218−3229.
2. V. A. Dodonov, V. G. Sokolov, E. V. Baranov, A. A. Skatova, W. Xu, Y. Zhao, X.-J. Yang,* I. L. Fedushkin*, Reactivity of Transition Metal Gallylene Complexes Toward Substrates with Multiple Carbon−Element Bonds. Inorg. Chem. 2022, 61, 14962−14972.
3. Y. Xue, J. Wang, Y. Shi, W. Xu, Y. Zhao, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang,* Assembly of metallo- macrocycles through reductive C–C coupling of alkylnitriles by an Mg–Mg-bonded compound. Dalton Trans. 2022, 51, 4394–4399.
4. R. Zhang, Y. Wang, Y. Zhao, C. Redshaw, I. L. Fedushkin, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*, Main-group metal complexes of α-diimine ligands: structure, bonding and reactivity. Dalton Trans., 2021, 50, 13634-13650.
5. V. A. Dodonov, W. Chen, L. Liu, V. G. Sokolov, E. V. Baranov, A. A. Skatova, Y. Zhao,* B. Wu, X.-J. Yang,* I. L. Fedushkin,* Reactions of Iso(thio)cyanates with Dialanes: Cycloaddition, Reductive Coupling, or Cleavage of the C=S or C=O Bond. Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 14602−14612.
6. W. Chen, V. A. Dodonov, V. G. Sokolov, L. Liu, E. V. Baranov, Y. Zhao,* I. L. Fedushkin,* X.-J. Yang,* Activation of Nitrogen-Rich Substrates by Low-Valent, Redox-Active Aluminum Species. Organometallics 2021, 40(4), 490–499.
7. W. Chen, L. Liu, Y. Zhao*, Y. Xue, N. Li, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang,* Organometallo-macrocycle assembled through dialumane-mediated CH activation of pyridines. Chem. Commun. 2021, 57, 6268–6271.
8. L. Shen, Y. Zhao, D. Dai, Y.-W. Yang*, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang,* Stabilization of Grignard reagents by a pillar[5]arene host – Schlenk equilibria and Grignard reactions. Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 1381−1384.
9. M. Ma, L. Shen, H. Wang, Y. Zhao, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*, N,N′‑Dipp‑o‑phenylene-diamido Dianion: A Versatile Ligand for Main Group Metal−Metal-Bonded Compounds. Organometallics 2020, 39, 1440−1447.
10. V. A. Dodonov, L. Xiao, O. A. Kushnerova, E. V. Baranov, Y. Zhao*, X.-J. Yang*, I. L. Fedushkin*, Transformation of carbodiimides to guanidine derivatives facilitated by gallylenes. Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 7475−7478.
11. L. Xiao, W. Chen, L. Shen, L. Liu, Y. Xue, Y. Zhao*, X.-J. Yang, Reduction of carbodiimides by a dialumane through insertion and cycloaddition. Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 6352−6355.
12. W. Zuo, C. Jia, H. Zhang, Y. Zhao, X.-J. Yang*, B. Wu*, Selective recognition of choline phosphate by tripodal hexa-urea receptors with dual binding sites: crystal and solution evidence. Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 2483–2488.
13. M. Ma, H. Wang, J. Wang, L. Shen, Y. Zhao, W.-H. Xu, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*, Mg–Mg-bonded compounds with N,N'-dipp-substituted phenanthrene-diamido and o-phenylene-diamino ligands. Dalton Trans., 2019, 48, 2295–2299.
14. L. Shen, Y. Zhao, Q. Luo, Q.-S. Li, B. Liu, C. Redshaw, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*, Cyclotrimerization of alkynes catalyzed by a self-supported cyclic tri-nuclear nickel(0) complex with α-diimine ligands. Dalton Trans., 2019, 48, 4643–4649.
15. J. Wang, J. Wang, L. Shen, Y. Zhao*, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*. Reactions of Dianionic α-Diimine Supported Dimagnesium(I) Compound [K(THF)3]2[LMg−MgL] with Nitriles. Organometallics, 2019, 38, 2674−2682.
16. W. Chen, Y. Zhao,* W. Xu, J.-H. Su, L. Shen, L. Liu, B. Wu, X.-J. Yang*, Reductive linear- and cyclo-trimerization of isocyanides by an AlAl-bonded compound. Chem. Commun. 2019, 55, 9452–9455.