Dr. Richard Liu

Biography

Richard Liu's research is directed towards the development of organic and organometallic catalysts and synthetic methods for accessing complex molecules. His group is working on designing unconventional cross-coupling reactions to rapidly generate diversity from a small pool of reactive partners. In a related area, there is a focus on investigating redox-active organic molecules to create sustainable and versatile catalytic platforms. Additionally, the Liu laboratory is interested in physical organic chemistry, especially the study of reaction mechanisms and applications for energy sustainability. There is a particular emphasis on designing light-driven processes for chemical separations. Richard actively recruits students and postdoctoral fellows interested in organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and sustainability/environmental solutions. Trainees in the group gain extensive expertise in synthesis, reaction optimization, standard analytical and spectroscopic techniques, and computational methods. Richard joined the Harvard faculty in July 2022 after completing his undergraduate studies at Harvard and graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he worked with Stephen L. Buchwald on the development of copper-hydride catalysts for olefin hydrofunctionalization processes and palladium-nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. After earning his Ph.D. in 2019, he joined the laboratory of Timothy M. Swager at MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) as a postdoctoral associate, where he demonstrated new applications in photochemistry for organic polymers.

Research Interests

Experience