Lichen Liu
Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
E-mail: lichenliu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
ORCID: 0000-0001-5067-0481
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=zuO-FtIAAAAJ
Professional Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University 12/2023-now
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University 01/2021-12/2023
Education
BS in Chemistry, Nanjing University 09/2008—06/2012
PhD in Sustainable Chemistry, Universitat Politècnica de València 09/2013—10/2018
Supervisor: Prof. Avelino Corma
Postdoctoral Researcher, Universitat Politècnica de València 10/2018—12/2020
Supervisor: Prof. Avelino Corma
Selected Publications
#Co-first authors. *Corresponding author.
1. Z. He#, W. Li#, T. Chen, C. Marini, M. Lopez-Haro, H. Xiao*, L. Liu* Managing the atom migration in zeolite-encapsulated K–Pt–Sn clusters for non-oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. Nature Catalysis, 2026, 9, 516–529.
2. F. He, M. Lopez-Haro, T. Chen, C. Marini, X. Dou, Q.-M. Wang*, L. Liu* A gold catalyst stabilized in an open-porosity TS-1 zeolite for the direct epoxidation of propylene. Nature Synthesis, 2026, 5, 761–774.
3. Y. Feng, H. Wang, T. Chen, M. Gao, Z. He, G. Yuan, L. Liu* Shape-selective conversion of high-density polyethylene into benzene with zeolite-encapsulated subnanometer Pt catalysts. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2026, 148, 11503–11514.
4. H. Wang, M. Gao, W. Li, Z. He, T. Chen, T. Watanabe, L. Liu* Direct Alkane–Benzene Coupling Reactions with Bifunctional Zeolite-Encapsulated Metal Catalysts with Subnanoscale Intimacy. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2026, 148, 22464–22480.
5. F. He, T. Chen, W. Li, A. Skorynina, L. Liu* Harnessing reaction-driven structural evolution of zeolite-supported gold catalyst for selective oxidation reactions. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2026, in press.
6. C. Zhu#, X. Dou#, L. Qian#, T. Chen, W. Li, C. Marini, E. Villalobos-Portillo, L. Zhang*, L. Liu* Circumventing the wettability issue of heterogeneous metal catalysts for solvent-free organic transformations. Nature Communications 2026, in press.
7. R. Zhou, W. Li, T. Chen, T. Chen, C. Marini, E. Villalobos-Portillo, J. Gong*, L. Liu* Modulating the Degree of the Dehydrogenation Reaction of Long-Chain Alkanes via Tuning the Pt-Based Catalytic Ensembles. ACS Catalysis, 2026, in press.
8. X. Dou#, T. Yan#, W. Li#, C. Zhu, T. Chen, B.T.W. Lo, C. Marini, H. Xiao, L. Liu* Structure-reactivity relationship of zeolite-confined Rh catalysts for hydroformylation of linear α-olefins. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025, 147, 2726–2736.
9. H. Wang#, K. Li#, M. Lopez-Haro, C. Marini, Z. He, M. Gao, L. Zhang*, L. Liu* Subnanometer Pt Catalysts Encapsulated in MEL Zeolite Mesocrystals for H2 Production from Methylcyclohexane Dehydrogenation. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025, 147, 21789-21802.
10. Z. He#, K. Li#, T. Chen#, Y. Feng, E. Villalobos, C. Marini, B.T.W. Lo*, F. Yang*, L. Zhang*, L. Liu* High-purity hydrogen production from dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane catalyzed by zeolite-encapsulated subnanometer platinum-iron clusters. Nature Communications, 2025, 16, 92.
11. Y. Li#, X. Li#, H. Zhang, J. He, K. Su, T. Chen, R. Zhang, H. Xu, Y. Wu*, W. Yang*, L. Liu* Tuning the spatial distribution and chemical nature of acid sites in MCM-22 zeolite by atomically dispersed lanthanum species for alkylation of 2-methylnaphthalene. ACS Catalysis, 2025, 15, 623-638.
12. X. Li, L. Liu* Hydrothermally stable zeolite-encapsulated metal catalyst promoted by framework Sn species. ACS Catalysis, 2025, 15, 403-421.
13. X. Dou#, T. Yan#, L. Qian#, H. Hou#, M. Lopez-Haro, C. Marini, G. Agostini, D.M. Meira, X. Zhang, L. Zhang*, Z. Cao*, L. Liu* Regioselective hydroformylation with subnanometre Rh clusters in MFI zeolite. Nature Catalysis, 2024, 7, 666–677.
14. C. Zhu#, W. Li#, T. Chen#, Z. He, E. Villalobos, C. Marini, J. Zhou, B.T.W. Lo, H. Xiao, L. Liu* Boosting the Stability of Subnanometer Pt Catalysts by the Presence of Framework Indium(III) Sites in Zeolite. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2024, 63, e202409784.
15. Y. Feng, H. Wang, T. Chen, M. Lopez-Haro, F. He, Z. He, C. Marini, B.T.W. Lo, L. Liu* Water-promoted oxidative coupling of aromatics with subnanometer palladium clusters confined in zeolites. Nature Communications, 2024, 15, 9373.
16. X. Li#, J. Cheng#, H. Hou*, D.M. Meira, L. Liu* Reactant-Induced Structural Evolution of Pt Catalysts Confined in Zeolite. JACS Au, 2024, 4, 666–679.
17. X. Dou#, W. Li#, K. Zhang, H. Hou, Z. He, C. Zhu, D.M. Meira, M. Lopez-Haro, Z. Xia, P. He, H. Xiao*, L. Liu* Size-Dependent Structural Features of Subnanometer PtSn Catalysts Encapsulated in Zeolite for Alkane Dehydrogenation. ACS Catalysis, 2024, 14, 2859–2871.
18. X. Dou#, K. Li#, K. Zhang#, C. Zhu, D.M. Meira, Y. Song, P. He*, L. Zhang*, L. Liu* Isolated Pt Atoms Stabilized by Ga2O3 Clusters Confined in ZSM-5 for Nonoxidative Activation of Ethane. JACS Au, 2024, 4, 3547-3557.
19. K. Zhang#, X. Dou#, H. Hou#, Z. Zhou, M. Lopez-Haro, D. M. Meira, P. Liu, P. He*, L. Liu* Generation of Subnanometer Metal Clusters in Silicoaluminate Zeolites as Bifunctional Catalysts. JACS Au, 2023, 11, 3213–3226.
20. H. Wan#, L. Qian#, N. Gong, H. Hou, X. Dou, L. Zheng, L. Zhang*, L. Liu*. Size-Dependent Structures and Catalytic Properties of Supported Bimetallic PtSn Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation Reaction. ACS Catalysis, 2023, 13, 7383-7394.
Selected Honors & Awards
l 2025 ACS Materials Rising Star
l 2025 Rising Star Award, Chinese Zeolite Society
l 2025 I&ECR Class of Influential Researchers
l 2025 Energy&Fuels, Rising Star
l 2024 Promising Scientist Award of 2024 DAMO Academy Young Fellow
l 2024 Young Investigator Award, Tsinghua University
l 2023 Rising Star Award, Chinese Catalysis Society
l 2021 IUPAC-Zhejiang NHU International Award for Advancements in Green Chemistry
l 2020 Young Scientist Award, International Association of Catalysis Societies
