Cluster Chemistry
Metal-Metal Bonds
Coordination Chemistry
Main-group Elemental Chemistry
1997-2001 Wuhan University B.S.
2001-2006 Fujian Inst. Structure & Matter , CAS Ph.D
2006-2008 PNNL (USA) PD
2008-2010 NDSU (USA) PD
2010-2018 Changchun Inst. Applied Chem. CAS Professor
2018- Nankai University Professor
Chapters：
1. Lei Qiao, John E. McGrady, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Zintl Chemistry: From Zintl ions to Zintl clusters
Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry III, Chapter 1.20, 2023，903-933
2. M. Kulichenko, N. Fedik, Nikolay V. Tkachenkoa, Á. Muñoz-Castro, Zhong-Ming Sun, A. I. Boldyrev
“Spherical aromaticity in inorganic chemistry“
Aromaticity, 2021, Chapter 14, 447-488
3. Nikolay V. Tkachenko, Zhong-Ming Sun, A. I. Boldyrev, A. Muñoz-Castro
Advances in Cluster Bonding. Bridging Superatomic Building Blocks via Intercluster Bonds
Atomic Clusters with Unusual Structure, Bonding and Reactivity, 2023, Chapter 18, 321-332
4. Yu-He Xu, N. V. Tkachenko, A. Muñoz-Castro, A. I. Boldyrev, Zhong-Ming Sun*
“A Branch of Zintl Chemistry: Metal Clusters of Group 15 Elements”
Atomically Precise Nanochemistry, 2023, Chapter 13, 395-422
5. Wen-Juan Tian，Zi-Sheng Li, Si-Dian Li, Zhong-Ming Sun*
“Diversity of chemical bonding in Zintl clusters”
Comprehensive Computational Chemistry, 2024, 2, 452-470
Selected publications:
1. Yu-He Xu, Xing Yang, Ya-Nan Yang, Lili Zhao*, Gernot Frenking*, Zhong-Ming Sun*
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Nature Chem. 2025, accept in principle
2. Wei-Xing Chen, Wen-Juan Tian, Zi-Sheng Li, Jing-Jing Wang, Alvaro Munoz-Castro, Gernot Frenking, Zhong-Ming Sun*
"Capturing Aromatic Cr5 Pentagons in Large Main GRoup Molecular Cages"
Nature Synth. 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s44160-024-00711-5
3. Yun Zhang, Wen-Juan Tian, Wei-Xing Chen, Manfred Scheer, Zhong-Ming Sun*
"Synthesis of Sb688-: Carfting Homoatomic Antimony Nanotorus"
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 27977-27982 
pdf
4. Yu-He Xu, Wen-Juan Tian, Jing-Ying Sun, Manfred Scheer*, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Extension and Fusion of Cyclic Polyantimony Units
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 15473-15478 pdf
5. Cong-Cong Shu, Dariusz W. Szczepanik, Alvaro Muñoz-Castro, Miquel Solà, Zhong-Ming Sun*
[K2(Bi@Pd12@Bi20)]4−: An Endohedral Inorganic Fullerene with Spherical Aromaticity
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 14166-14173 pdf
6. Yu-He Xu, Wen-Juan Tian, Alvaro Munoz-Castro, Gernot Frenking, Zhong-Ming Sun*
An all-metal fullerene: [K@Au12Sb20]5-
Science, 2023, 382(6672), 840-843. 论文.pdf
Highlighted by C&EN see Bethany Halford, Full-metal fullerene finally fashioned;
Highlighted by Chemistry World, see Tim Wogan, All-metal fullerene cluster made for first time
Highlighted by Technology Networks see Alexander Beadle All-Metal Fullerene Molecule Synthesized for the First Time
Highlighted by the Daily Science Scientists create first all-metal fullerene molecule
Highlighted by Phys.org, see Bob Yirka: A fullerene-like molecule made entirely of metal atoms
Highlighted by C&EN's year in Chemistry, Top Chemistry Research
7. Xu-Hui Yue, Wei-Xing Chen, Tao Yang, Alvaro Muñoz-Castro, Gernot Frenking, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Carbon-free sandwich compounds based on Arsenic and Antimony with icosahedral metal cores
Nature Synth., 2023, 2, 423-429
Highlighted by NSFC 论文.pdf
8. Wei-Qiang Zhang, Zi-Sheng Li, John E. McGrady,* Zhong-Ming Sun*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, e202217316
Highlighted by Nat. Synth. see Dr. Alexandra R. Groves, "Iron arsenide clusters"
9. Harry W. T. Morgan, Cong-Cong Shu, Zhong-Ming Sun*, John E. McGrady*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 8007-8017
10. Zi-Chuan Wang, Lei Qiao, Zhong-Ming Sun*, Manfred Scheer
Inorganic Ferrocene Analogue [Fe(P4)2]2-
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 6698-6702
ACS Editors' Choice, JACS spotlight,
Highlighted by Chemistry World, see Katrina KRÄMER, The closest chemists have ever got to an inorganic ferrocene;
Highlighted by ChemistryViews, An Inorganic Ferrocene Analogue
Highlighted by Nat. Synth., see Hey-Hawkins, Phosphrous makes inroads
11. Hong-Lei Xu, N. V. Tkachenko, D. W. Szczepanik, I. A. Popov, A. Muñoz-Castro, A. I. Boldyrev,* Zhong-Ming Sun*
Symmetry Collapse due to the Presence of Multiple Local Aromaticity in [Ge24]4-
Nature Commun. 2022, 13, 2149 (Feature Article)
12. Yu-He Xu, N. V. Tkachenko, Ivan A. Popov, Lei Qiao, A. Muñoz-Castro, A. I. Boldyrev, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Ternary Aromatic and Anti-aromatic Clusters Derived from the Hypho Species [Sn2Sb5]3- 下载.pdf
Nature Commun. 2021, 12, 4465
13. Yi Wang, John E. McGrady, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Solution-Based Group 14 Zintl Anions: New Frontiers and Discoveries下载.pdf
Acc. Chem. Res. 2021, 54, 1506-1516
14. Hong-Lei Xu, Nikolay V. Tkachenko, Alvaro Muñoz-Castro, Alexander I. Boldyrev*, Zhong-Ming Sun*
[Sn8]6--bridged mixed-valence Zn(I)/Zn(II) in {[K2ZnSn8(ZnMes)]2}4- Inverse Sandwich-Type Cluster Supported by Zn(I)-Zn(I) Bond anie.下载.pdf
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60(18), 9990-9995
15. Hong-Lei Xu, Nikolay V. Tkachenko, Zi-Chuan Wang, Wei-Xing Chen, Lei Qiao, Alvaro Muñoz-Castro, A.I. Boldyrev*, Zhong-Ming Sun*
A Sandwich-Type Cluster Containing Ge@Pd3 Planar Fragment Flanked by Aromatic Nonagermanide Caps 下载pdf
Nature Commun. 2020, 11, 5286 (Feature Article)
16. Lei Qiao, Chao Zhang, Cong-Cong Shu, Harry Morgan, John E. McGrady,* Zhong-Ming Sun*
“[Cu4@E18]4– (E=Sn, Pb): Fused Derivatives of Endohedral Stannaspherene and Plumbaspherene“ 下载pdf
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142(31), 13288–13293
17. Hong-Lei Xu, I. A. Popov, N. V. Tkachenko, Zi-Chuan Wang, A. Muñoz-Castro, A.I. Boldyrev,* Zhong-Ming Sun,*
sigma-Aromaticity-Induced Stabilization of Heterometallic Supertetrahedral Clusters [Zn6Ge16]4- and [Cd6Ge16]4-下载pdf
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59 (39), 17286 (Hot Paper)
18. Cong-Cong Shu, H. W. T. Morgan, L. Qiao, J. E.McGrady*, Zhong-Ming Sun*
“A family of lead clusters with precious metal cores” 下载pdf
Nature Commun. 2020, 11, 3477 (Feature Article)
19. Chao Liu, N. V. Tkachenko, I. A. Popov, N. Fedik, Xue Min, C.-Q. Xu,Jun Li, J. E. McGrady, A. I. Boldyrev, Zhong-Ming Sun*
Structure and Bonding in [Sb@In8Sb12]3- and [Sb@In8Sb12]5–下载pdf
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58(25), 8367-8371 (Inside Cover)
20. Xue Min, Ivan A. Popov, Fu-Xing Pan, Lei-Jiao Li, Eduard Matito, Zhong-Ming Sun,* Lai-Sheng Wang, Alexander I. Boldyrev*
All-Metal Antiaromaticity in Sb4-Type Lanthanocene Anions下载pdf
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55(18), 5531-5535
Highlighted by C&EN, 2016, 94, P5; see: Ritter, S. K. “Cyclic antimony complexes take aromaticity to a new level
21. Ivan A. Popov, Fu-Xing Pan, X.-R. You, Lei-Jiao Li, E. Matito, C. Liu, H.-J. Zhai, Zhong-Ming Sun,* Alexander I. Boldyrev*
“Peculiar All-Metal sigma-Aromaticity of the [Au2Sb16]4- Anion in the Solid”下载pdf
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55(49), 15344–15346
22. Fu-Xing Pan , Lei-Jiao Li , Ying-Jin Wang , Jin-Chang Guo , Hua-Jin Zhai*, Li Xu, Zhong-Ming Sun*
“An All-Metal Aromatic Sandwich Complex [Sb3Au3Sb3]3-”下载pdf
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 10954-10957.
Highlighted by C&EN,2015,93 (34) 24 see: Ritter, S. K. “All-Metal Sandwich Is Now On The Menu.
This article was also featured as a JACS spotlight
Highlighted by Chemistry World, see Alex Pashley All-metal sandwich inspires a theoretical following
23. Jing Zhang, Jun-Feng Liu, Angel Ugrinov, Anthony F. X. Pillai, Zhong-Ming Sun*, Pinjing Zhao*
Methoxy-Directed Aryl-to-Aryl 1,3-Rhodium Migration
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135 (46), 17270–17273
独立开展工作前
24. Zhong-Ming Sun, Jing Zhang, Rajith S. Manan, Pinjing Zhao*
“Rh(I)-Catalyzed Olefin Hydroarylation with Electron-Deficient Perfluoroarenes”
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010,132, 6935-6937.
25. Zhong-Ming Sun, Pinjing Zhao*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6854-6858.
26. Zhong-Ming Sun,Hai Xiao, Jun Li, Lai-Sheng Wang*
“[Pd2@Sn18]4-: Fusion of two endohedral stannaspherenes”
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 9560-9561.