Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry

Research Description

Research in the Zhao group focuses on mechanism-based development of transition metal catalysis. We seek to identify novel elementary (one-step) organometallic reactions through organometallic synthesis and mechanism studies. These results will provide insight into fundamentals of transition metal chemistry and guide our development of new methods in homogeneous catalysis. Current efforts are directed towards new carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions with the following aspects:

1. New strategies to generated reactive organometallic intermediates.
2. Expanded scopes of organic substrates.
3. Synergy between multiple metal reagents (e.g. “bimetallic systems”).

Selected Publications

Zhao, P.; Incarvito, C. D.; Hartwig, J. F. “Directly Observed Transmetalation from Boron to Rhodium. b-Aryl Elimination from Rh(I) Arylboronates and Diarylborinates.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 1876-1877.

Zhao, P.; Incarvito, C. D.; Hartwig, J. F. “Carbon-Oxygen Bond Formation between a Terminal Alkoxo Ligand and a Coordinated Olefin. Evidence for Olefin Insertion into a Rhodium Alkoxide.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 9642-9643.

Zhao, P.; Incarvito, C. D.; Hartwig, J. F. “Direct Observation of b-Aryl Eliminations from Rh(I) Alkoxides.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 3124-3125.

Zhao, P.; Krug, C.; Hartwig, J. F. “Transfer of Amido Groups from Isolated Rhodium(I) Amides to Alkenes and Vinylarenes.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 12066-12073.

Zhao, P.; Hartwig, J. F. “b-Aryl Eliminations from Rh(I) Iminyl Complexes.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 11618-11619.

Zhao, P.; Condo, A.; Keresztes, I.; Collum, D. B. “Reaction of Ketones with Lithium Hexamethyldisilazide: Competitive Enolizations and Additions.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 3113-3118.

Zhao, P.; Collum, D. B. “Ketone Enolization by Lithium Hexamethyldisilazide: Structural and Rate Studies of the Acceleration Effects of Trialkylamines.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 14411­-14424.

Zhao, P.; Collum, D. B. “Lithium Hexamethyldisilazide / Triethylamine-Mediated Ketone Enolization: Remarkable Rate Accelerations Stemming from a Dimer-Based Mechanism.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 4008-4009.