Hungarian researcher’s results on front page of ChemPlusChem

The ChemPlusChem editorial board selected the article for its interdisciplinary role. The Taiwanese–Hungarian collaboration yielding these results was funded by an MTA bilateral mobility grant.


9 March, 2018


The front page of the February 2018 edition of ChemPlusChem features an article on the latest results of a ten-year-long successful collaboration between the University of Szeged, Hungary and Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan. The journal’s editorial board selected the article and highlighted its interdisciplinary role. The Taiwanese–Hungarian collaboration yielding these results was funded by an MTA bilateral mobility grant. This priority research was conducted by scientists from the Department of Pharmacognosy and the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged and the MTA-SZTE Stereochemistry Research Group. Research was led by Ferenc Fülöp, Attila Hunyadi and Sándor Ötvös.

The article describes the successful modification of biologically active flavonoids through selective continuous-flow hydrogenation. The basic compounds contain several parts that are sensitive to reduction, thus, their synthesis through selective partial hydrogenation is a great challenge; however, the precise parameter control of the flow reactor made the modification possible. The scientists synthetically developed a rare and unique part of flavonoids, which also occurs in nature. At the same time, they managed to suppress an unfavourable biological side effect of parent compounds.

The collaboration started in 2008, when Attila Hunyadi, PhD, worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Professors Yang-Chang Wu and Fang-Rong Chang in their Taiwan laboratory. The collaboration rose to a higher level when the two deans, Jih-Heng Li from Taiwan and Ferenc Fülöp from Hungary signed an agreement regarding a mutual PhD programme. Students taking part in the programme spend at least one semester at the partner institution, and their PhD dissertation is supervised by professors from both countries. The success of the programme is indicated by the fact that seven such PhD theses have been defended up to now.

The front cover of the February issue of ChemPlusChem is dominated by a photo of the Bicaz Gorge in Romania, taken with a drone camera by Sándor Ötvös. The hairpin bends symbolise the challenges posed by the synthesis of these modified compounds.

The front page of the February 2018 edition of ChemPlusChem source: mta.hu