Molecules Webinar | New Green Developments for Catalysis, Synthesis, and Materials
Molecules Webinar | New Green Developments for Catalysis, Synthesis, and Materials
Part of the MDPI Molecules Webinar series
30 January 2026
green chemistry, bio-catalysis, organo-catalysis, protection of stone material, green solvent, synthesis, materials
Welcome from the Chair
37th Molecules Webinar
New Green Developments for Catalysis, Synthesis, and Materials
On behalf of the organizing committee, we are delighted to invite you to the Molecules webinar “New Green Developments for Catalysis, Synthesis, and Materials”, which will take place online on January 30, 2026. This webinar will bring together internationally recognized researchers to share and discuss cutting-edge advances in green chemistry, with a particular focus on sustainable catalysis, innovative synthetic methodologies, and eco-friendly materials. Topics will include, among others, the development of sustainable materials for stone conservation, green solvents in biocatalysis, and recent applications of organocatalysis. As green chemistry continues to play a vital role in addressing global environmental and health challenges, this event aims to highlight innovative research directions while fostering interdisciplinary scientific exchange within the community.
We are honored to host three distinguished speakers:
Prof. Dr. Federica Menegazzo (Department of Molecular Sciences and Nano Systems, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italy), an expert in nanostructured inorganic materials and heterogeneous metallic catalysts for sustainable chemical processes and the development of advanced materials for cosmetic and cultural heritage applications.
Prof. Dr. Gonzalo de Gonzalo (Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Seville, Spain), whose research focuses on biocatalytic and organocatalytic strategies for the synthesis of chiral compounds and the development of greener chemical processes.
Prof. Wei Zhang (Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Green Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA), a leading authority in fluorous chemistry, organocatalysis, free radical chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and green synthesis.
We warmly invite you to join us for what promises to be an inspiring and dynamic discussion on the future of green catalysis, synthesis, and materials.
Date: 30 January 2026
Time: 3:00 pm CET | 9:00 am EST | 10:00 pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 878 2583 0189
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Event Chairs
University Clermont Auvergne – CNRS
Institute of Chemistry of Clermont-Ferrand (France)
After completing his PhD in Photochemistry in 1991, Prof. Dr. Gilles Mailhot joined the CNRS as a researcher in October 1992. He is currently a senior Research Director at the Institute of Chemistry of Clermont-Ferrand (ICCF) and at the Laboratory of Physical Meteorology (LaMP), the latter of which he is also director—both laboratories are part of the University of Clermont Auvergne in France. Prof. Mailhot has held visiting professorships at Fudan University in 2013 and 2014, and at Wuhan University in 2019. He recently established an International Associated Laboratory (IAL) with Wuhan University. Over the course of his career, he has co-supervised thirty-one PhD students and co-authored more than 235 scientific publications. He has coordinated numerous national and international research projects, many of them in collaboration with Chinese universities. His scientific work focuses on chemistry and photochemistry in aquatic environments, with applications in water treatment and atmospheric chemistry. His current research centers on the protection and sustainable management of water resources.
Keynote Speakers
Sustainable materials for the protection of stone materials
Federica Menegazzo graduated in Industrial Chemistry and obtained a PhD in Chemical Sciences. She is currently an Associate Professor of Industrial Chemistry at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy. Her principal scientific interests are in the field of heterogeneous catalysis with a focus on the development of innovative nanostructured catalysts and their use in industrial processes. She is also involved in the formulation of new sustainable materials for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications and for the protection of cultural heritage. She has co-authored 3 patents, 5 book chapters and over 110 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Green Solvents for Biocatalysis
After obtaining his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Oviedo (Spain), he spent two years at the ICRM-CNR (Italy) and obtained a Juan de la Cierva position at Univ. Oviedo. Then, he spent one year at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) and worked for three years at the pharmaceutical company Antibioticos S.A.U (Spain), before obtaining a Ramon y Cajal contract at the University of Seville in 2014. In 2019, he became Associate Professor at the same university. He has published almost 100 papers, seven book chapters and co-edited three books focused on biocatalysis. He is editor-in-chief of Catalysts for Pharmaceuticals and editor of Molecules (Green Chemistry section). His research interests focus on asymmetric catalysis, mainly using biological systems, and on developing more sustainable methodologies in organic synthesis.
Integrated One-Pot Stepwise Synthesis And Organocatalysis
Professor Wei Zhang is the former Director of the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He was Senior Chemist at DuPont and Director at Fluorous Technologies, Inc. His current research is in the areas of organic synthesis, organocatalysis, drug discovery, and green chemistry. He has co-authored over 260 papers including three in Chem. Rev. on synthetic radicals and fluorous technologies, 6 patents and patent applications on drug discovery, and three books on green synthesis. He has been serving as an editor and editorial advisory member on nine international journals.
Registration
This is a FREE webinar. The number of participants to the live session is limited but the recording will be made available on Sciforum shortly afterwards. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Program
| Speaker/Presentation | Time in CET |
|
Prof. Dr. Gilles Mailhot Chair Introduction |
3:00 - 3:10 pm |
|
Prof. Dr. Federica Menegazzo Sustainable Materials for the Protection of Stone Materials |
3:10 - 3:40 pm |
|
Prof. Dr. Gonzalo De Gonzalo Green Solvents for Biocatalysis |
3:40 - 4:10 pm |
|
Prof. Dr. Wei Zhang Integrated One-Pot Stepwise Synthesis And Organocatalysis |
4:10 - 4:40 pm |
| Q & A | 4:40 - 4:55 pm |
|
Prof. Dr. Gilles Mailhot Closing of Webinar |
4:55 - 5:00 pm |
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
