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Pinjing Zhao

Inorganic and Organic Chemistry; Synthesis and Mechanistic Organometallic Chemistry; Homogeneous Catalysis

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. Eco-friendly strategies towards reactive organometallic intermediates.
  2. Expanded scopes of organic substrates as readily available building blocks.
  3. Synergy between multiple metal reagents (e.g. “bimetallic systems”).

 

Representative Publications

4. Sun, Z.-M.; Zhang, J.; Manan, R. S.; Zhao, P. “Rh(I)-Catalyzed Olefin Hydroarylation with Electron-Deficient Perfluoroarenes.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 6935-6937. Link.

3. Sun, Z.-M.; Zhang, J.; Zhao, P. “Rh(I)-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Transformations of Arene-Carboxylic Acids: Ligand- and Reagent-Controlled Selectivity towards Hydrodecarboxylation or Heck-Mizoroki Products.” Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 992-995. Link.

2. Sun, Z.-M.; Chen, S.-P.; Zhao, P. “Tertiary Carbinamine Synthesis by Rhodium- Catalyzed [3+2] Annulation of N-Unsubstituted Aromatic Ketimines and Alkynes.” Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 2619-2627. Link.

1. Sun, Z.-M.; Zhao, P. “Rhodium-Mediated Decarboxylative Conjugate Addition of Fluorinated Benzoic Acids: Stoichiometric and Catalytic Transformations.” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6726-6730. Link.


Selected Publications prior to NDSU:

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.

 

 

 

Assistant Professor

BS, Peking (Beijing) University, 1997
PhD, Cornell University, 2004
Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University, 2004-2006
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006-2007

Office: 255A Dunbar

tel 701-231-8992
fax 701-231-8831

Pinjing.Zhao@ndsu.edu

Zhao Group Home Page