The first-class core textbook is one of the “four first-class” elements of the “101 Plan” for Basic Academic Disciplines, and plays a key role in promoting the cultivating of top-level innovative talent. According to the teaching arrangement of organic chemistry course as well as the feature of organic chemistry discipline, 16 modules with 78 topics are concluded. Modern concepts and international academic frontiers of organic discipline are included in the main contents of the core textbook. Aiming at the goal to improve students’ ability, we guide students to enhance their systems thinking through problem-based learning and profound reflection.

Chemical biology is one of the 12 core courses developed under the “101 Plan” for chemistry. As an emerging interdisciplinary field that explores the chemical basis and molecular foundations of life processes, chemical biology encompasses a broad range of topics and extensive knowledge. With ongoing advancements in the field, establishing a systematic curriculum that addresses the diverse needs of students from various disciplines presents a significant challenge for textbook design and construction. To address this, the authors have investigated and compared the content and curriculum design of different chemical biology textbooks, summarized the key modules and knowledge areas, and developed a teaching framework based on three main aspects: the molecular basis of chemical biology, core technologies, and applications. The textbook aims to showcase innovative features in knowledge integration, content depth, and practical orientation. By aligning with the development of interdisciplinary subjects and national strategic needs, the textbook seeks to provide a cross-disciplinary integration of chemistry, biology, and medicine, offering students a challenging and insightful learning experience.

The fundamental chemistry experiments course under the Chemistry “101 Plan” is tailored for lower-year chemistry students in schools participating in the Talent Development Project 2.0. This advanced introductory course aims to cultivate innovative talents in fundamental chemical research. It sparks students’ interest in chemistry experiments and provides them with essential experimental skills necessary for further study and research in chemistry. The course includes unit or small integrated experiments focused on synthesis and measurement, which serve as crucial preparatory content for learning fundamental operations and skills. These experiments also act as prerequisites for subsequent courses, such as synthetic chemistry experiments and chemical measurement experiments, thereby laying a solid foundation for future experimental coursework.

General Chemistry is the first of the 12 core courses in the Chemistry “101 Plan” of the Ministry of Education, and serves as the foundation of university-level chemistry courses. It has a unique position in the university chemistry curriculum system. This article provides a detailed introduction to the design ideas and construction of the General Chemistry course in the Chemistry “101 Plan” from the aspects of course information, knowledge modules and knowledge points, core faculty team building, and construction of core textbook and teaching plans. Taking the Chemistry “101 Plan” as an opportunity, we aim to build a first-class core course, a core textbook, and a core faculty team, in order to improve the quality of talent cultivation in the field of chemistry.

The design approach for case teaching on carbenes and their complexes integrates basic theory with frontier research. By analyzing and discussing research findings reported in the literatures through fundamental theories, this approach helps students solidify their foundational knowledge while fostering their innovative thinking and capabilities.

This report introduces a foundational laboratory experiment that integrates interface chemistry, physical chemistry, and instrumental analysis. It utilizes cutting-edge “liquid gating technology” and is based on the principles and advanced characterization features of the self-developed Liquid Gating Teaching Testing Analyzer (Pressure Threshold Analyzer). The experiment of Liquid Gating Mechanism and Basic Properties Characterization is part of the undergraduate course Chemical Metrology Experiments in the Chemistry “101 Plan”. This study presents innovative teaching models and enhances the course design by incorporating advanced techniques for characterizing interface science within physical chemistry experiments.

This paper, grounded in the objectives and core tasks of the Chemistry “101 Plan”, develops a “discover-and-share” teaching model that integrates the educational principle of “teacher concerns” into a blended teaching approach. The model was applied to the inorganic chemistry course for freshmen in the Strengthening Basic Disciplines Program at Nanjing University. This paper presents two seminar cases from this model, detailing the implementation steps and overall outcomes. The practice demonstrates that the “discover-and-share” teaching model achieves positive results for freshmen in the Strengthening Basic Disciplines Program.

Since the Ministry of Education launched a series of “101 Plan” for eight basic disciplines such as chemistry, Hunan University, as the leading unit of analytical chemistry courses in the Chemistry “101 Plan”, has gathered 27 domestic “Basic Discipline Talent Training Plan 2.0 Base” universities in the field of chemistry to carry out the construction of courses and textbooks and promote the implementation of classroom improvement plans. This paper introduces in detail the core course knowledge system of analytical chemistry, the teaching contents and objectives of 11 modules and 48 core knowledge points, as well as the overall teaching objectives and construction progress of the course.

Chemical measurement experiments is one of the twelve core courses of the Chemistry “101 Plan” of the Ministry of Education, which absorbs and integrates a number of experiments in several chemical laboratory courses. It has a new experimental curriculum architecture. Through this course, students will not only understand the principles of instruments, but also be able to use advanced scientific instruments to measure the structure, properties and performance of matters, and even be able to design and build instruments by themselves. This paper mainly introduces methodologies for improving classroom practice in the chemical measurement experiments course to promote the communication and mutual learning among teachers in classroom teaching practice. These practices may effectively improve the teaching level of chemical measurement experiments in China.

In response to the elevated requirements of the Chemistry “101 Plan” curriculum and training objectives, a new course titled “Practice and Application of Structural Chemistry” has been developed. This course builds upon the previous “Structural Chemistry Modeling Practices” course and aims to help students better understand and master key concepts in Structural Chemistry, as well as apply fundamental principles to solve practical chemical problems. The course integrates traditional classroom teaching with digital and practical instructional methods to enhance students’ comprehension and proficiency in core knowledge. By establishing a teaching and research community, the course stimulates students’ interest and enthusiasm for scientific exploration and encourages them to aspire to contribute to national scientific and technological innovation. The learner-centered participatory teaching model is employed to foster students’ ability to learn independently.

This paper presents the construction of the “Chemical Biology Experiment”, a core course within the Chemistry “101 Program”. Highlighting the interdisciplinary characteristics of chemical biology, the critical importance of laboratory courses in advancing interdisciplinary research, and the overarching goals of the Chemistry “101 Program”, this paper systematically summarizes and introduces the course development philosophy, the textbook content, and the features of its compilation.

Inorganic Chemistry is an important compulsory course for undergraduate students majoring in chemistry, and it is also one of the core theoretical courses of the Chemistry “101 Plan”. Based on the investigation and analysis of Inorganic Chemistry course both domestically and internationally, this paper elaborates on the course positioning, teaching objectives, teaching contents and teaching suggestions for Inorganic Chemistry in the Chemistry “101 Plan”. The aim is to promote reform and innovation in Inorganic Chemistry teaching and enhance the quality of talent cultivation.

Chemical measurement experiments are one of the four core experimental courses of the chemistry “101 Plan“ of the Ministry of Education. This paper provides an in-depth introduction to main ideas in designing the course，including the positioning, objectives, designing strategy, modules, knowledge points and contents of the chemical measurement experiments course. We also give suggestion on how to make full use of this course and refine the course to exert the advantage of the respective university. The main purpose of this article is to promote the reform and innovation of experimental teaching in universities involved in national basic subject talent training plan and other key universities through this course, and to improve the cultivation quality of top-notch innovative talents.

Bioinspired superhydrophobic functional materials represent an emerging interdisciplinary research field that encompasses principles and technologies from various disciplines, including chemistry, materials science, and physics. These materials demonstrate unique application potential in self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, anti-fouling, and drag reduction. While this field is rapidly advancing with continuous new research findings, traditional experimental teaching materials remain relatively outdated and fail to reflect the latest scientific developments and theories in a timely manner. This paper, based on the Ministry of Education’s Chemistry “101 Program” Synthetic Chemistry Experiment Course, introduces cutting-edge research on bioinspired superhydrophobic functional materials and outlines an experimental curriculum designed to cultivate top-tier innovative talents. This approach aims to provide both theoretical and empirical support for teaching practices in this field and enhance the quality of talent development in foundational disciplines.

As one of the 12 core courses of the Chemistry “101 Plan”, synthetic chemistry experiment is designed as a through-type, full-chain experimental course for undergraduates majoring in chemistry and related fields, covering topics from basic synthesis to advanced synthesis and comprehensive synthesis. Unlike traditional teaching modes that separate experimental courses by secondary disciplines, this course restructures the experimental knowledge system around synthetic methods. It integrates the synthesis of inorganic, organic, polymeric, supramolecular substances, and applied materials to establish a complete methodology of synthetic chemistry. The course content balances fundamental and cutting-edge experiments, emphasizing interdisciplinary connections and knowledge integration. By designing comprehensive experiments across the full chain—including preparation and synthesis, separation and purification, structure and characterization, reaction and performance, and materials and applications—the course aims to help students strengthen the integration of knowledge and skills, fostering their scientific thinking and innovative consciousness. This article briefly outlines the reform ideas and construction of the synthetic chemistry experiment, addressing aspects such as course orientation, goals, design concepts, core knowledge systems, textbook/lesson plans, and the teaching team.

The Chemistry “101 Plan” physical chemistry textbook aims to establish a theoretical framework for supernumerary molecular systems. It explores how to link the intelligence and knowledge of individual atoms and molecules with macroscopic supernumerary molecular systems, constructing a chemist’s view of matter and providing scientific thinking methods for studying these systems. The textbook is divided into three parts: the first part covers theoretical foundations, the second part addresses material concepts, and the third part discusses evolutionary laws. This article briefly introduces the theoretical framework of the textbook, aiming to inspire the development of physical chemistry curricula in China and cultivate the next generation of chemistry professionals.

To implement the pilot initiatives of the Ministry of Education on undergraduate education and teaching reform in basic disciplines (series of “101 Plans”) and to promote the cultivation of innovative talents, the Chemistry “101 Plan” aims to identify new paths for high-quality independent training of outstanding innovative talents in chemistry by taking the reform of chemical teaching as a breakthrough and experimental zone. This initiative focuses on developing 12 core courses and corresponding core textbooks, exploring digital and intelligent educational methods and cultivating a core teaching team, via concentrating national strengths in the field of chemistry. This article introduces the significant measures, progress, and future plans of the Chemistry “101 Plan”, focusing on the construction of core elements, including organization, curricula (theory and experiment), textbooks, and faculty.

In the face of intensifying global competition in science and technology, education plays a crucial role in cultivating innovative talents. Structural chemistry, a core foundational course for chemistry majors, employs quantum mechanics and group theory as its scientific language, enabling a deeper understanding of chemical principles and phenomena. This paper summarizes the reforms undertaken in the structural chemistry curriculum and textbook development under the Chemistry “101 Plan” and explores the pathways for reform in line with first-class curriculum standards. By restructuring the course’s knowledge modules, building a comprehensive knowledge framework, and introducing diversified teaching resources, these efforts have enhanced the quality of higher education and advanced the development of the chemistry discipline.

Chemical bond theory is a fundamental topic in inorganic chemistry, encompassing a rich array of concepts, from classical covalent bond theory to molecular orbital theory. However, the diversity and inherent limitations of these theories often pose challenges for students, particularly in their study and comprehension. This is especially evident when analyzing compound properties, where different theories may lead to conflicting conclusions. In response to these challenges, this paper emphasizes the core principle of chemical research: the relationship between a material’s structure and its properties, commonly referred to as the “structure-activity relationship”. By introducing the Team-Based Learning (TBL) teaching method, students can develop a comprehensive understanding of chemical bond theory and enhance their ability to interpret, analyze, and solve real-world problems.