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Alain worked on a number of research subjects, demonstrating an abiding interest in bioorganic chemistry
and the mechanism of sterol biosynthesis with an outstanding output of research that was summarized in
more than 350 papers. Here, I would like to mention only two fields in which his impressive contributions
have been highly recognized. The first one is on cyclopropane chemistry and pyrethroids. He developed
novel syntheses of chrysanthemic acid and its analogs using elegant synthetic strategies. This essential
methodology led to numerous synthetic methods of pyrethroids. The cornerstone of Alain’s pyrethroid
syntheses is the built-in flexibility of the approach, allowing for potential adaptability to expand the
chemical space around their basic scaffold. The second one is about selenium chemistry. Alain stands as one
of the pioneers of organoselenium chemistry and continues to be a leading authority in this field. For an
extended period, selenium, as an element, held minimal significance in synthetic chemistry. However,
owing to his groundbreaking studies, this has changed fundamentally.

Alain’s pioneering work has been recognized by a number of scientific awards, such as the Prize of the
French “Académie des Sciences” in 1985 and the International Wernaers Prize for Research and
Broadcasting of Knowledge in 1999, and prestigious appointments, including Presidencies of the Janssen
Prize for Creativity in Organic Synthesis (2002-2008) and the Société Royale de Chimie Belge (1993-1995).
He has organized and been chairman of several congresses, including the famous Belgian Organic Synthesis
Symposium (BOSS).

Not only a brilliant scientist and passionate chemist, but Alain was also a fantastic chemist trainer. Under
his supervision, Alain mentored approximately 50 PhD and 100 Master students. His successful training for
students who passed the FRIA (Fonds de Recherche pour l’Industrie et l’Agriculture, Belgium) scholarship
remains a household story at the University of Namur. These students now hold significant positions in
academic and industrial sectors. Alain’s passion for chemistry remains unwavering. Even at 80 years old, he
continues to visit the Laboratory daily, conducting various exploratory experiments and providing
assistance to students.

Alain was heavily involved as a leader in the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in
Development (IOCD), the first organization devoted to the role of the chemical sciences in global
development. From 2009 to 2020, Alain Krief served as the Executive Director of the IOCD.

In this Special Issue honoring him, we have assembled 11 papers contributed by authors from around the
world. Among them are two papers from a collaboration between my research groups in Belgium and
China, focusing on Lithium-Selenium batteries . Li-Selenium batteries have been recognized as very
[1-2]
promising next-generation Lithium batteries with high energy density. Following these two research papers
is a Research highlight from Editor . Alain also contributed to this Special Issue on his passionate subject,
[3]
“Schizophrenic behavior of 2,3-oxidosqualene sterol cyclase from pig liver towards 2,3-oxidosqualene
analogs” . The double Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Prof. K. B. Sharpless, made a comment on Alain’s last
[4]
[5]
research . “Biotransformation studies on bioactive compounds: 25 years of interesting research at the
ICCBS” is from a Pakistan research group in honor of Prof. Krief . Prof. Krief paid much attention to the
[6]
research and higher education in Pakistan. He frequently visited Pakistan these last years in spite of
COVID-19. Prof. Stefano A. Cerri from Italy contributed a paper entitled “Information, knowledge, and
human learning for chemistry: the visionary contribution of Professor Alain Krief” . We are deeply grateful
[7]
to Prof. Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, the current and first female president of the IOCD, for her excellent
contribution entitled “Luminescent alkynylplatinum(II) terpyridine-containing conjugated polymers:
[8]
synthesis, characterization and photophysical studies” . The excellent review paper from Prof. Wei Yan
[9]
from Singapore and China on “Selenium nanomaterials enabled flexible and wearable electronics” is