Huang Weiyuan (1921-) is a native of Putian, Fujian Province. Yang is an organic chemistry scientist. He graduated from Fukien Christian University in 1943, obtained his master's degree from Guangzhou Lingnan University in 1949, his Ph. D from Chemistry Department of U.S. Harvard University in 1952. He continued his post-doctoral study in Harvard University from 1952 to 1955. He is now head of Shanghai Organic Chemical Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Vice President of Shanghai Branch, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director-General of China Chemistry Society, and director of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. He was elected an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1980.

Early in his career, Huang engaged in study of natural product of steroids and made contributions to the field of synthesis of steroids and steroid stereochemistry. Since 1958, in the light of state defense construction, he engaged himself in organic borate chemistry and organic fluorine chemistry. He is one of the pioneers in organic fluorine field in China. He set up an organic fluorine chemical laboratory. He developed materials of fluorocarbon oil, fluorinated lubricants or grease, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoretyhylene, chloride copolymers, fluorinated polyurethane. Especially his development of fluorocarbon oil provided key materials for Chinese nuclear industry. He developed a chromium fog inhibitor, which provided a way to eliminate chromium hazard in Chinese electroplating industry and won State Invention Award, Third Class. His Fluorocarbon Blood Substitute has been applied by several hundreds of clinical cases, which won CAS Science and Technology Advancement Award. He discovered reaction of sulfinatodehalogenation sulfina-todechlorination, which won him State Natural Science Award, Second-Class. He developed chemistry of fluoroalkylated sulfinic acid, fluoroalkylated sulfonic acid bromide and sulfonic acid iodide, and he applied fluoroalkylation reaction to synthesize natural products and aromatic heterocyclic that can be substituted by fluoroalkylation, like steroids, saccharides, and amino acids, porphyrin, calixarene and fluorine-containing monomers. In recognition of his contributions in fluorine chemistry, he was conferred a "MOISSAN" medal by Paris, France. He has won National Invention Award, Third Class for three times. Huang published over 190 theses in academic journals both at home and abroad. He founded Chinese Journal of Chemistry, which promoted development of Chinese chemical academic journals.