2013

40. Zhenqian Fu, Jianfeng Xu, Tingshun Zhu, Wendy Wen Yi Leong and Yonggui Robin Chi*. β-Carbon Activation of Saturated Carboxylic Esters through N-Heterocyclic Carbene Organocatalysis. Nature Chem. 2013, 5, 835-839. (PDF)  

Highlighted in Nature Chemistry, 2013, 5, 813 (PDF); 

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

39. Junmin Zhang, Chong Xing, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Catalytic Activation of Carbohydrates as Formaldehyde Equivalents for Stetter Reaction with Enones. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 8113-8116. (PDF) 

Most read paper of the month on JACS.

38. Junming Mo, Liang Shen, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Direct β-Activation of Saturated Aldehydes to Michael Acceptors through Oxidative NHC Catalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 8588-8591. (PDF) 

Selected as a VIP paper by ACIE editors.

37. Jiajia Cheng, Zhijian Huang, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. NHC Organocatalytic LUMO Activation of α,β-Unsaturated Esters to React with Enamides. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 8592-8596. (PDF)

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

36. Xingkuan Chen, Song Yang, Bao-An Song, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Functionalization of Benzylic C(sp3)[BOND]H Bonds of Heteroaryl Aldehydes through N-Heterocyclic Carbene Organocatalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 11134–11137. (PDF)

Selected as a VIP paper by ACIE editors.

35. Zhichao Jin, Jianfeng Xu, Song Yang, Bao-An Song, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Enantioselective Sulfonation of Enones with Sulfonylimine via Cooperative NHC/Thiourea/Tertiary Amine Multi-Catalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 12354-12358. (PDF) 

Highlighted in Synfacts 2013, 1351. (PDF)

32. Junming Mo, Ruojie Yang, Xingkuan Chen, Bhoopendra Tiwari, and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Direct α-Functionalization of Simple Aldehydes via Oxidative N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 50-53. (PDF) 

Most read paper of the month on Org. Lett..

31. Lin Hao, Shaojin Chen, Jianfeng Xu, Bhoopendra Tiwari, Zhenqian Fu, Tong Li, Jieyan Lim and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Organocatalytic Activation of Alkylacetic Esters as Enolate Precursors to React with α,β-Unsaturated Imines. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 4956-4959. (PDF)  

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

30. Jianfeng Xu, Zhichao Jin and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Organocatalytic Enantioselective γ-Aminoalkylation of Unsaturated Ester: Access to Pipecolic Acid Derivatives. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 5028-5031. (PDF) 

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

29. Shaojin Chen, Lin Hao, Yuexia Zhang and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Asymmetric Access to the Smallest Enolate Intermediate via Organocatalytic Activation of Acetic Ester. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 5822-5825. (PDF)

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

28. Zhenqian Fu, Hui Sun, Shaojin Chen, Bhoopendra Tiwari, Guohui Li and Yonggui Robin Chi*. Controlled β-Protonation and [4+2] Cycloaddition of Enals and Chalcones via N-Heterocyclic Carbene/Acid Catalysis: toward Substrate Independent Reaction Control. Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 261-263. (PDF)

Highlighted in Synfacts 2013, 260. (PDF)

27. Lin Hao, Wei Chuen Chan, Rakesh Ganguly and Yonggui Robin Chi*. NHC-Catalyzed Ester Activation: Access to Sterically Congested Spirocyclic Oxindoles via Reaction of α-Aryl Esters and Unsaturated Imines. Synlett 2013, 24, 1197-1200. (PDF)

Invited contribution to Synlett Cluster

Highlighted in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1485. (PDF)

26. Hui Sun, Xinqiang Fang, Yonggui Robin Chi and Guohui Li. Theoretical Study of NHC-Catalyzed Cascade Annulation of Benzodienones and Enals. Chirality 2013, 25, 521–528. (PDF)