2016-08-22

PhD student, Kwan Chak-shing wins Chemistry Central Journal Prize
PhD
student Kwan Chak-shing from the Department of Chemistry of HKBU
received the Chemistry Central Journal Prize for his poster presentation
entitled “A Fluorescent and Switchable Rotaxane Dual Organocatalyst”
at the Fifth International Conference on Molecular Sensors and
Molecular Logic Gates held in University of Bath, UK from 24 to 28 July
2016. Chak-shing is the only student from among the scholars who
received a prize this year, and the only Hong Kong citizen from local
universities to be awarded.
Chak-shing was delighted to receive the prestigious recognition from the
international conference. He said, “The conference in the UK helped
broaden my horizons in various areas of chemistry. I would also like to
thank my supervisor Dr Ken Leung for his guidance, support and
encouragement.”
Chak-shing’s project developed the novel use of the special mechanical
interlocked molecule rotaxane which could be applied to enhance the
overall efficiency of drug synthesis. He combines the concepts of
molecular switches and organic catalysts in chemistry to generate a
catalyst named the “fluorescent rotaxane dual organocatalyst”.
Upon the addition of acid/base, the new catalyst can be reversibly
“switched on and off” to synthesize the desired product exclusively from
a mixture of starting materials.
For more details of the conference, please visit:
https://msmlg.wordpress.com/chemistry-central-journal-prizes/
from HKBU eNews
https://bunews.hkbu.edu.hk/news/people/phd-student-wins-chemistry-central-journal-prize