2000年毕业于大连理工大学，同年进入中国科学院大连化学物理研究所，2006年获物理化学专业博士学位。从事烯烃氢甲酰化、催化氨化和催化加氢的研究，承担了多项国家科技部和国家自然科学基金委项目，与多家企业开展了长期研发合作，科技成果已实现工业化应用。发表论文共49篇, 出版专著2部，申请专利72项，获奖成果2项，承担项目十余项。

1. N、P配体及其聚合物修饰的多相催化剂上氢甲酰化研究
研究N、P配体修饰的多相催化剂在氢甲酰化反应中的作用机理，以及配体聚合物作为配体和载体双功能催化反应机理；开发负载型类贵金属磷化物在氢甲酰化反应中的应用及反应机理研究。
2. 催化临氢胺化反应的研究
开展催化胺化反应催化剂的基础研究，提高临氢胺化反应催化剂的催化性能，拓宽催化胺化反应底物范围。
3. 催化加氢反应的研究
羧酸直接加氢或酯化加氢制备醇类化合物等

1. Cunyao Li, Li Yan, Lanlu Lu, Kai Xiong, Wenlong Wang, Miao Jiang, Jia Liu, Xiangen Song, Zhuangping Zhan, Zheng Jiang and Yunjie Ding， Single atom dispersed Rh-biphephos&PPh3@porous organic copolymers: highly efficient catalysts for continuous fixed-bedhydroformylation of propene. Green Chem., 2016, 18, 2995–3005
2. Cunyao Li, Kai Xiong, Li Yan, Miao Jiang, Xiangen Song,Tao Wang, Xingkun Chen, Zhuangping Zhan and Yunjie Ding. Designing highly efficient Rh/CPOL-bp&PPh3 heterogenous catalysts for hydroformylation of internal and terminal olefins. Catalysis Science & Technology. 2016,6(7):2143-2149
3. Wenlong Wang, Cunyao Li, Li Yan, Yuqing Wang, Miao Jiang, and Yunjie Ding. Ionic Liquid/Zn-PPh3 Integrated Porous Organic Polymers Featuring Multifunctional Sites: Highly Active Heterogeneous Catalyst for Cooperative Conversion of CO2 to Cyclic Carbonates. ACS Cataysis., 2016, 6(9):6091-6100
4. Liu Jia, Yan Li, Ding Yunjie, Jiang Miao, Dong Wenda, Song Xiangen, Liu Tao, Zhu Hejun. Promoting effect of Al on tethered ligand-modified Rh/SiO2 catalysts for ethylene hydroformylation. Appl. Catal. A-GEN 2015,492: 127-132.
5. Xijie Lan, Weiping Zhang, Li Yan, Yunjie Ding, Xiuwen Han, Liwu Lin, Xinhe Bao. Structure, Activity, and Stability of Triphenyl Phosphine-Modified Rh/SBA-15 Catalyst for Hydroformylation of Propene: A High-Resolution Solid-State NMR Study. J. Phys. Chem. C, 2009, 113, 16: 6589-6595
6. Li Yan, Yun J Ding, Li W Lin, He J Zhu, Hong M Yin, Xian M Li, Yuan Lu. In situ formation of HRh(CO)2(PPh3)2 active species on the surface of a SBA-15 supported heterogeneous catalyst and the effect of support pore size on the hydroformylation of propene, J. Mol. Catal. A: 2009, 300(1-2):116-120
7. Li Yan, Yunjie Ding, Hejun Zhu, Hongmei Yin, Guiping Jiao, Dongyuan Zhao, Liwu Lin. Continuous fixed-bed gas-phase hydroformylation over PPh3-modified mesostructured cellular foam-supported Rh catalyst, Chin. J.Catal., 2006, 27 (1): 1-3
8. Li Yan, Yunjie Ding, Hejun Zhu,Jianmin Xiong, Tao Wang, Zhendong Pan, Liwu Lin. Ligand modified real heterogeneous catalysts for fixed-bed hydroformylation of propylene. J. Mol. Catal. A: 2005, 234 (1-2): 1-7