CSC Fellow Xiujuan Wang Studies Structure and Non-Covalent Interactions of Molecules

CSC Fellow Joins the Molecular Beam Spectroscopy Research Group

We welcome Xiujuan Wang to the Institute of Physical Chemistry as a visiting doctoral researcher funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Mianyang Teachers’ College and her Master’s degree in Chemistry at Chongqing University in China. Since 1 October 2022, she has been a graduate student researcher in Prof. Dr. Grabow’s group for a planned duration of four years.

In Prof. Grabow’s group, Xiujuan Wang combines high-resolution rotational spectroscopy with quantum-chemical calculations to study the structure and non-covalent interactions of molecules and their complexes. Her research aims to understand how molecular structure and weak interactions influence molecular motion and chemical reactivity at the microscopic level.

Molecular Structure, Dynamics, and Chemical Reactivity

One focus of her research is on odorant and pharmaceutical molecules, such as methyl benzoate. By systematically varying substituents and substitution patterns, she investigates how electronic effects influence internal rotational barriers and large-amplitude molecular motions in conjugated systems.

In parallel, she studies the Claisen rearrangement, a fundamental organic reaction. By examining micro-solvated clusters of reactants and products with solvent molecules such as water or organic acids, she analyzes their three-dimensional structures and non-covalent interaction patterns. Comparing different solvent environments reveals how solvents increase the feasibility of reaction pathways and products at the molecular level, providing insight into solvent effects on the chemical mechanism of reaction.

China Scholarship Council Supports International Research Exchange

The China Scholarship Council (CSC) supports outstanding doctoral researchers during extended research stays abroad. Through this funding program, international scientific exchange is strengthened while promoting long-term collaboration and international visibility of its research.