Ruiyao Wang Ph.D.

Senior Associate Professor

Dr. Ruiyao Wang's research area is on medicinal chemistry based on crystal engineering and coordination chemistry, which aims to develop new medicines underpinned by supramolecular chemistry, coordination and/or organometallic chemistry and crystal engineering, such as pharmaceutical polymorphism, pharmaceutical co-crystallization, as well as Pt(IV) complex-based prodrugs. Currently, Dr. Wang's research focuses on the development of 1) novel pharmaceutical cocrystals; 2) novel drug-drug pharmaceutical cocrystals for antitumor drugs; 3) targeted Pt(IV) complex-based prodrugs for antitumor applications; and 4) drug formulation.

Dr. Wang joined XJTLU in December, 2012 as an Associate Professor. Prior to XJTLU, Dr. Wang worked as the X-ray Lab manager and departmental X-ray crytsallographer at the Chemistry Department of Queen's University, Canada (2002-2012), post-doctorial fellow and research associate at the University of Arizona, US and Queen's University (1998-2001). He received his PhD from Peking University in 1997, and MS from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS. Dr. Wang has published over 150 research papers (https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=zh-CN&user=dNtV9HMAAAAJ), and 3 book chapters. He also owns one US/Canada patent and one China patent.


  • Ph.D. , Beijing University, - 1997
  • MSc , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS, - 1990


  • Senior Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China-2022 to present
  • Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China-2012 to 2022
  • X-ray Lab Manager/Departmental Crystallographer, Chemistry Department, Queen’s University, Canada - 2002 to 2012
  • Research Associate, Chemistry Department, Queen’s University, Canada - 2000 to 2002
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Chemistry Department, University of Arizona, USA - 1998 to 2000
  • Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China - 2012 to Present
  • Teaching Assistant/Lecturer/Associate Head of the Department, Chemistry Department, College of Art and Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, China - 1983 to 1998


  • Dr. Ruiyao Wang's research area is on medicinal chemistry based on crystal engineering and coordination chemistry, which aims to develop new medicines underpinned by supramolecular chemistry, coordination and/or organometallic chemistry and crystal engineering, such as pharmaceutical polymorphism, pharmaceutical co-crystallization, as well as Pt(IV) complex-based prodrugs. Currently, Dr. Wang's research focuses on the development of 1) novel pharmaceutical cocrystals; 2) novel drug-drug pharmaceutical cocrystals for antitumor drugs; 3) targeted Pt(IV) complex-based prodrugs for antitumor applications; and 4) drug formulation.


  • Wu, Xiaoyu; Che, Yu; Chen, Linjiang; Amigues, Eric Jean; Wang, Ruiyao; He, Jinghui; Dong, Huilong; Ding, Lifeng; Mapping the Porous and Chemical Structure-Function Relationships of Trace CH3I Capture by Metal-Organic Frameworks using Machine Learning. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2022), 14(41), 47209–47221.
  • Chen, Xiaocui; Zhou, Ruixue; Zhou, Hao; Yan, Tianhao; Ding, Lifeng; Zhang, Haifei; Wang, Ruiyao*; One-Pot Synthesis and Characterization of Three Chromotropic Supramolecular Isomeric Cu(II) Coordination Polymers as 1-D Zigzag or Helical Chains with Homochiral or Heterochiral Cu(II) Coordination Centres. Journal of Molecular Structure (2022), 1265, 133422.
  • Hanifehpour, Younes; Mirtamizdoust, Babak; Dadashi, Jaber; Wang, Ruiyao; Rezaei, Mahboube; Abdolmaleki, Mehdi; Joo, Sang Woo; The Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel One-Dimensional Bismuth (III) Coordination Polymer as a Precursor for the Production of Bismuth (III) Oxide Nanorods. Crystals (2022), 12 (1), 113.
  • Hanifehpour, Younes; Mirtamizdoust, Babak; Ahmadi, Hossein; Wang, Ruiyao; Joo, Sang Woo; Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis, characterizing the structure and DFT calculation of a new Pb(II)-chloride metal-ligand coordination polymer as a precursor for preparation of α-PbO nanoparticles. Journal of Molecular Structure (2021), 1224, 129031.
  • Chao, Meng-Yao; Chen, Jing; Wu, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Rui-Yao; Wang, Pei-Pei; Ding, Lifeng; Young, David J.; Zhang, Wen-Hua; Unconventional Pyridyl Ligand Inclusion within a Flexible Metal-Organic Framework Bearing an N,N'-Diethylformamide (DEF)-Solvated Cd5 Cluster Secondary Building Unit. ChemPlusChem (2020), 85(3), 503-509.
  • Yang, Siyuan; Chen, Linjiang; Holden, Daniel; Wang, Ruiyao; Cheng, Yuanyuan; Wells, Mona; Cooper, Andrew I.; Ding, Lifeng, Understanding the effect of host flexibility on the adsorption of CH4, CO2 and SF6 in porous organic cages. Zeitschrift fuer Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials (2019), 234(7-8), 547-555.
  • Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. 1,3-Bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium perchlorate. IUCrData (2019), 4(4), x190494.
  • Abdou, Moaz M.; Matziari, Magdalini; O'Neill, Paul M.; Amigues, Eric; Zhou, Ruixue; Wang, Ruiyao; Ali, Basem F. Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate. IUCrData (2018), 3(11), x181662.
  • Ge, Yuxin; Zhou, Hao; Ji, Yujin; Ding, Lifeng; Cheng, Yuanyuan; Wang, Ruiyao; Yang, Siyuan; Liu, Yufeng; Wu, Xiaoyu; Li, Youyong. Understanding Water Adsorption and the Impact on CO2 Capture in Chemically Stable Covalent Organic Frameworks. Journal of Physical Chemistry C (2018), 122(48), 27495-27506.
  • Zhang, Ruizhong; Tong, Feng; Yang, Liuqing; Adsetts, Jonathan Ralph; Yan, Tianhao; Wang, Ruiyao; Ding, Zhifeng; Wang, Hong-Bo. Facile synthesis and efficient electrochemiluminescence of a readily accessible pyridopyrimidine. Chemical Communications (2018), 54(71), 9897-9900.
  • Aquino, Manuel A. S.; Minaker, Samuel A.; Wang, Ruiyao. 1,3-Bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) imidazolium perchlorate. IUCrData (2018), 3, x180516.
  • Hanifehpour, Younes; Mirtamizdoust, Babak; Wang, Ruiyao; Anbarteh, Saeed; Joo, Sang Woo, A Nano Nickel(II) Metal-Organic Coordination Compound for Nano Nickel (II) Oxide: Sonochemical Synthesis and Characterization. Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials (2017), 27(4), 1045-1052.
  • Essoun, Ernest; Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. Disassembly of diruthenium(II,III) tetraacetate with P-N donor ligands. Inorganica Chimica Acta (2017), 454, 97-106.
  • Kandel, Ramjee; Huynh, Keith; Dalgliesh, Lauren; Wang, Ruiyao; Jessop, Philip G. Contrasting connectivity of amidine and phosphaamidine (1,3-P,N) Cu(I) complexes. Inorganica Chimica Acta (2016), 445, 117-123.
  • Chen, Xiaocui; Han, Shumin; Wang, Ruiyao; Li, Yuan. Four supramolecular isomers of dichloridobis(1,10-phenanthroline)cobalt(II): synthesis, structure characterization and isomerization. Acta Crystallographica, Section C: Structural Chemistry (2016), 72(1), 6-13.
  • Chen, Xiaocui; Wang, Yue; Han, Shumin; Wei, Yongju; Wang, Ruiyao, 4,4'-Bipyridine-1,1'-diium acetylenedicarboxylate: a new member of the (H2bipy)[Cu(ox)2] (bipy is 4,4'-bipyridine and ox is oxalate) family. Acta Crystallographica, Section C: Structural Chemistry (2015), 71(5), 357-362.
  • Ang, M. Trisha C.; Phan, Lam; Alshamrani, Aliyah K.; Harjani, Jitendra R.; Wang, Ruiyao; Schatte, Gabriele; Mosey, Nicholas J.; Jessop, Philip G. Contrasting Reactivity of CS2 with Cyclic vs. Acyclic Amidines. European Journal of Organic Chemistry (2015), 2015(33), 7334-7343.
  • Kong, Xianqi; Tang, Aaron; Wang, Ruiyao; Ye, Eric; Terskikh, Victor; Wu, Gang. Are the amide bonds in N-acyl imidazoles twisted? A combined solid-state 17O NMR, crystallographic, and computational study. Canadian Journal of Chemistry (2015), 93(4), 451-458.
  • Fassler, Jurg; McCubbin, J. Adam; Roglans, Anna; Kimachi, Tetsutaro; Hollett, Joshua W.; Kunz, Roland W.; Tinkl, Michael; Zhang, Yousheng; Wang, Ruiyao; Campbell, Michael; et al. Highly Enantioselective (-)-Sparteine-Mediated Lateral Metalation-Functionalization of Remote Silyl Protected ortho-Ethyl N,N-Dialkyl Aryl O-Carbamates. Journal of Organic Chemistry (2015), 80(7), 3368-3386.
  • Corkum, Elizabeth G.; Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. Compromising the metal-metal bond in diruthenium(II,III) tetraacetate: Reaction of [Ru2(μ-O2CMe)4(MeOH)2]+ with phosphines to form 'Ru(μ-O2CMe)2(μ-OMe)2Ru' cores. Inorganica Chimica Acta (2015), 424, 202-209.
  • Thomson, Michael P.; O'Rourke, Natasha F.; Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. Crystal structure of tetrakis(μ-n-butyrato-κ2 O:O')bis[chloridorhenium(III)](Re-Re). Acta Crystallographica, Section E: Structure Reports Online (2014), 70(10), m349-m350.
  • Keske, Eric C.; Moore, Brandon D.; Zenkina, Olena V.; Wang, Ruiyao; Schatte, Gabriele; Crudden, Cathleen M. Highly selective directed arylation reactions via back-to-back dehydrogenative C–H borylation/arylation reactions. Chemical Communications (Cambridge, United Kingdom) (2014), 50, 983-986.
  • Dunlop, Kate; Wang, Ruiyao; Stanley Cameron, T.; Aquino, Manuel A. S. Coordination of weakly binding anions to [Ru2(μ-O2CCH3)4]+ in aqueous solution. Journal of Molecular Structure (2014), 1058, 122-129.
  • O'Rourke, Natasha F.; Ronaldson, Michael; Stanley Cameron, T.; Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. Equatorial π-stacking Interactions in Diruthenium (II,III) Tetracarboxylate Complexes Containing Extended π-systems. Journal of Molecular Structure (2013), 1052, 17-23.
  • Groves, Brandon R.; Arbuckle, D. Ian; Essoun, Ernest; Lundrigan, Travis L.; Wang, Ruiyao; Aquino, Manuel A. S. , Chiral Induction at Octahedral Ru(II) via the Disassembly of Diruthenium(II,III) Tetracarboxylates Using a Variety of Chiral Diphosphine Ligands. Inorganic Chemistry (2013), 52(19), 11563-11572.
  • Keske, Eric C.; Zenkina, Olena V.; Asadi, Ali; Sun, Hongsui; Praetorius, Jeremy M.; Allen, Daryl P.; Covelli, Danielle; Patrick, Brian O.; Wang, Ruiyao; Kennepohl, Pierre; et al. Dioxygen adducts of rhodium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. Dalton Transactions (2013), 42(20), 7414-7423.
  • Huynh, Keith; Napolitano, Krizia; Wang, Ruiyao; Jessop, Philip G.; Davis, Boyd R. Indirect hydrolysis of sodium borohydride: Isolation and crystallographic characterization of methanolysis and hydrolysis by-products. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2013), 38(14), 5775-5782.
  • Zenkina, Olena V.; Keske, Eric C.; Kochhar, Gurpaul S.; Wang, Ruiyao; Crudden, Cathleen M. Heteroleptic rhodium NHC complexes with pyridine-derived ligands: synthetic accessibility and reactivity towards oxygen, Dalton Transactions (2013), 42(6), 2282-2293.
  • Blight, Barry A.; Guillet-Nicolas, Remy; Kleitz, Freddy; Wang, Rui-Yao; Wang, Suning. Luminescent Triarylboron-Functionalized Zinc Carboxylate Metal-Organic Framework. Inorganic Chemistry (2013), 52(4), 1673-1675.
  • Stevenson, Kristina A.; Melan, Caroline F. C.; Fleischel, Olivier; Wang, Ruiyao; Petitjean, Anne. Solid-State Self-Assembly of Triazolylpyridine-Based Helicates and Mesocate: Control of the Metal-Metal Distances. Crystal Growth & Design (2012), 12(11), 5169-5173.
  • Chen, Xiaocui; Han, Shumin; Wang, Ruiyao, Crystal engineering through charge-assisted hydrogen bonds, multiple C-H···O bonds and π-π stacking: from (H2bipy)[Cu(ox)2] to (H2bipy)[NaH(ox)2] and (H2bipy)[H2(ox)2] (H2bipy = 4,4'-bipyridin-1,1'-dium; ox = oxalate) . CrystEngComm (2012), 14(20), 6400-6403.
  • Cipot-Wechsler, Judy; Covelli, Danielle; Praetorius, Jeremy M.; Hearns, Nigel; Zenkina, Olena V.; Keske, Eric C.; Wang, Ruiyao; Kennepohl, Pierre; Crudden, Cathleen M. Synthesis and Characterization of Cationic Rhodium Peroxo Complexes. Organometallics (2012), 31(21), 7306-7315.
  • Yan, Yi; Zhao, Weiwen; Bhagavathy, Ganga Viswanathan; Faurie, Alexandre; Wang, Ruiyao; Petitjean, Anne. Double-layered alcohol: controlling the macroscopic organization of small molecules through the self-assembly of their receptors. CrystEngComm (2012), 14(19), 6118-6120.
  • Keske, Eric C.; Zenkina, Olena V.; Wang, Ruiyao; Crudden, Cathleen M. Synthesis and structure of palladium 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene mesoionic carbene PEPPSI complexes and their catalytic applications in the Mizoroki-Heck reaction. Organometallics (2012), 31(17), 6215-6221.
  • Kong, Xianqi; ODell, Luke A.; Terskikh, Victor; Ye, Eric; Wang, Ruiyao; Wu, Gang, Variable-Temperature 17O NMR Studies Allow Quantitative Evaluation of Molecular Dynamics in Organic Solids. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2012), 134(35), 14609-14617.
  • Artacho, Josep; Ascic, Erhad; Rantanen, Toni; Karlsson, Josefine; Wallentin, Carl-Johan; Wang, Ruiyao; Wendt, Ola F.; Harmata, Michael; Snieckus, Victor; Waernmark, Kenneth, Twisted Amide Analogues of Troeger's Base. Chemistry--A European Journal (2012), 18(4), 1038-1042.
  • Zhao, Shu-Bin; Wang, Rui-Yao; Nguyen, Ha; Becker, Jennifer J.; Gagne, Michel R., Electrophilic fluorination of cationic Pt-aryl complexes. Chemical Communications (Cambridge, United Kingdom) (2012), 48(3), 443-445.
  • Keske, Eric C.; Zenkina, Olena V.; Wang, Ruiyao; Crudden, Cathleen M., Synthesis and Structure of Silver and Rhodium 1,2,3-Triazol-5-ylidene Mesoionic Carbene Complexes. Organometallics (2012), 31(1), 456-461.
  • Zenkina, Olena V.; Keske, Eric C.; Wang, Ruiyao; Crudden, Cathleen M., Double Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Transformation and Small-Molecule Activation in Rhodium NHC Complexes. Angewandte Chemie, International Edition (2011), 50(35), 8100-8104.
  • Capela, Marinha dF.; Mosey, Nicholas J.; Xing, Liyan; Wang, Ruiyao; Petitjean, Anne, Amine Exchange in Formamidines: An Experimental and Theoretical Study. Chemistry--A European Journal (2011), 17(16), 4598-4612.
  • Wu, Ying-Lan; Wang, Jia-Fu; Kong, Xiang-Jian; Sheng, Chuan-Xiang; Wang, Rui-Yao; Peyghambarian, Nasser; Norwood, Robert A.; Zheng, Zhi-Ping, A dinuclear europium(III) complex with thenoyltrifluoroacetonato and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphtholato ligands and its optical properties. Inorganica Chimica Acta (2011), 370(1), 346-352.
  • Luo, Qun; Wu, Dayong; Liu, Shixiong; Tang, Daihua; Huang, Yong; Liu, Xinhou; Wang, Fuyi; Wang, Ruiyao; Wu, Gang, The formation of thymidine-based T-tetramers with remarkable structural and metal ion size effects. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry (2011), 9(4), 1030-1033.
  • Reid, Derek J.; Cull, John E. W.; Chisholm, Kimberley D. S.; Langlois, Alexandre; Lin, Po-Heng; Long, Jerome; Lebel, Olivier; Korobkov, Ilia; Wang, Ruiyao; Wuest, James D.; et al, Synthesis, structure and magnetism of homodinuclear complexes of Co, Ni and Cu supported by a novel bitriazine scaffold. Dalton Transactions (2011), 40(18), 5009-5017.
  • Beach, Michael T.; Walker, Jesse M.; Wang, Ruiyao; Spivak, Gregory J., Ruthenium piano-stool complexes containing mono- or bidentate pyrrolidinylalkylphosphines and their reactions with small molecules. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry (2011), 696(20), 3198-3205.
  • Zhao, Weiwen; Wang, Ruiyao; Mosey, Nicholas J.; Petitjean, Anne, Alkoxyamine-derived Formamidines: Configurational Control and Molecular Folding. Organic Letters (2011), 13(19), 5160-5163.
  • Zhao, Weiwen; Wang, Ruiyao; Petitjean, Anne, Z-Formamidoximes in molecular folding and macrocycles. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry (2011), 9(22), 7647-7651.
  • Amarne, Hazem; Baik, Chul; Wang, Rui-Yao; Wang, Suning. Photoisomerization of 1-Phenyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)indole BMes2: The Dark Isomer. Organometallics (2011), 30(4), 665-668.
  • Zenkina, Olena V.; Keske, Eric C.; Wang, Ruiyao; Crudden, Cathleen M., Dimeric Rhodium-Ethylene NHC Complexes As Reactive Intermediates for the Preparation of Tetra-heteroleptic NHC Complexes, Organometallics (2011), 30(23), 6423-6432.


  • Wang, Ruiyao, David, A. Atwood, John, Wiley & Sons, Limited 2012, 'Chapter 25. Carboxylate' in (eds) Encyclopedia of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, The Rare Earth Elements: Fundamentals and Applications, John Wiley and Sons, Inc, pp.
  • Wang, Ruiyao & Chunhui, Huang 2010, 'Chapter 3. Rare Earth Complexes with Carboxylic Acids, Polyaminopolycarboxylic Acids, and Amino Acids.' in (eds) Coordination Chemistry of Rare Earth: From Fundamentals to Applications, VHS-Wiley, pp.
  • Wang, Ruiyao & Chunhui, Huang 2010, 'Chapter 6. Coordination Chemistry of Rare Earth Alkoxides, Aryloxides, and Hydroxides.' in (eds) Coordination Chemistry of Rare Earth: From Fundamentals to Applications, VHS-Wiley, pp.


  • 1995 Guanghua Scholarship for PhD Students, Peking Uiniversity, China
Ruiyao Wang