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Cong-Gui Zhao

Associate ProfessorCong-Gui Zhao

Areas of Specialization

  • Asymmetric synthesis and reactions:
  • Small ring compounds:
  • Oxidation:
  • Phosphorus chemistry:

Publications

  1. Samanta, S.; Collins, S.; Zhao, C.-G.*; Broker, G. A.; Tiekink, E. "Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Hydroxyphosphinates: Simultaneous Control of Both Chiral Centers through a Parallel Kinetic Resolution" J. Am. Chem. Soc., under revision.
  2. Dodda, R.; Mandal, T.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Organocatalytic Highly Enantioselective Tandem Michael-Knoevenagel Reaction for the Synthesis of Substituted Thiochromanes" Tetrahedron Lett., in press.
  3. Dodda, R.; Goldman, J. J.; Mandal, T.; Zhao, C.-G.*; Broker, G. A.; Tiekink, E. R.T. "Synthesis of 2,3,4-Trisubstituted Thiochromanes Using an Organocatalytic Enantioselective Tandem Michael-Henry Reaction" Adv. Synth. Catl., in press.
  4. Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G.,* Jakka, K. "Dioxirane Oxidations of Compounds Other than Alkenes" Org. React., 2007, 69, 1-346.
  5. Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Organocatalytic Nitroaldol Reaction of a-Ketophosphonates and Nitromethane Revisited" Arkivoc, 2007, (13), 218-226.
  6. Mandal, T.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Synthesis of Prolinal Dithioacetals as Catalysts for the Highly Stereoselective Michael Addition of Ketones and Aldehydes to ß-Nitrostyrenes" Tetrahedron Lett., 2007, 48, 5803-5806.
  7. Samanta, S.; Krause, J.; Mandal, T.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Inverse-Electron-Demand Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction of b,g-Unsaturated a-Ketophosphonates Catalyzed by Prolinal Dithioacetals" Org. Lett., 2007, 9, 2745-2748.
  8. Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Enantioselective synthesis of a-aminopropargylphosphonates" Tetrahedron Lett., 2007, 48, 4339-4342.
  9. Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Secondary a-Hydroxycarboxylic Esters" Synlett, 2007, 1605-1609.
  10. Mandal, T.; Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G. "Organocatalytic Highly Enantioselective Nitroaldol Reaction of a-Ketophosphonates and Nitromethane" Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 943-945.
  11. Jakka, K.; Liu, J.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Facile Epoxidation of a,b-Unsaturated Ketones with Cyclohexylidenebishydroperoixde" Tetrahedron Lett., 2007, 48, 1395-1398.
  12. Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Silver(I) Triflate-Catalyzed Direct Synthesis of
    N-PMP Protected a-Aminopropargylphosphonates from Terminal Alkynes" Org. Lett., 2007, 9, 165-167.
  13. Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Organocatalytic Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Secondary a-Hydroxyphosphonates" Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 4911-4914.
  14. Jakka, K.; Zhao, C. -G "Catalytic Highly Enantioselective CH Oxidation of vic-Diols with Shi's Oxazolidinone Dioxiranes" Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 3013-3015.
  15. Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G. "Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Hydroxy Phosphonates" J. Am. Chem. Soc.,2006, 128, 7442-7443.
  16. Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G. ''Organocatalytic Asymmetric Direct Aldol Reaction of 1,2-Ketones and Ketones ''  Tetrahedron Lett., 2006, 47, 3383-3386.
  17. Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G.* "L-Proline Catalyzed One-Pot Three-Component Reaction for the Synthesis of ß-Alkoxy Ketones" Synthesis, 2006, 3238-3242.
  18. Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G. "Chapter 16. Contemporary Dioxirane Chemistry: Epoxidations, Heteroatom Oxidations and CH Insertions", in The Chemistry of Peroxides; Rappoport, Z. Ed; Wiley:Chichester, Vol. 2, 2006, pp. 1129-1170.
  19. Chakraborty, R.; Franz, V.; Bez, G.; Dipali, V.; Popuri, C.; Zhao, C.-G.* ''Some New Aspects of the Boyer Reaction'' Org. Lett., 2005, 7, 4145-4148.
  20. Samanta, S., Liu, J.; Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G. * ''C2-Symmetric Bisprolinamide as Highly Efficient Catalyst for Direct Aldol Reaction '' Org. Lett., 2005, 7, 5221-5123.
  21. Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G.* "Chapter IV. 2.1.2 Oxidation of Unactivated Alkanes by Dioxiranes", in Handbook of CH Transformations, Applications in Organic Synthesis; Dyker, G. Ed, Wiley-VCH:Weinheim, Vol. 2, 2005, pp 507-516.
  22. Bez, G.; Zhao, C.-G.* "First Highly Enantioselective Epoxidation of Alkenes with Aldehyde/Oxoneâ" Tetrahedron Lett., 2003, 44, 7403-7406. 
  23. Bez, G.; Zhao, C.-G.* ''Gallium(III) Chloride-Catalyzed Double Insertion of Isocyanides into Epoxides'' Org. Lett., 2003, 5, 4991-4993.
  24. Adam, W.;* Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G.  ''Dioxirane Epoxidation of Alkenes''. Org. React.,2002, 61, 219-516.
  25. Kazakov, D. V.;* Maistrenko, G. Y.; Polyakova, N. P.; Latypova, R. R.; Kazakov, V. P.; Adam, W.;  Trofimov, A.; Zhao, C.-G.; Kiefer, W.; Schlücker, S. ''On the Chemiluminescence in the Oxidation of the Tetravalent Uranium to the Uranyl Ion by Dimethyldioxirane''. Luminescence, 2002, 17, 293-298.
  26. Makosza, M.;* Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G.; Surowiec, M. "Oxidation of Nitrobenzylic Carbanions with Dimethyldioxirane. New Synthesis of Quinomethanes and Nitrobenzylic Carbinols. First Example of Methylation of Carbanions with Dimethyldioxirane''. J. Org. Chem., 2001, 66, 5022-5026.
  27. Adam, W.;* Makosza, M.; Zhao, C.-G., Surowiec, M. ''On the Mechanism of the Dimethyldioxirane (DMD) Oxidation of sH Adducts (Meisenheimer Complexes) Generated from Nitroarenes and Carbanions''. J. Org. Chem., 2000, 65, 1099-1101.
  28. Adam, W.;* Degen, H.-G.; Pastor, A.; Saha-Möller, C. R.; Schambony, S. B.; Zhao, C.-G. ''Preparative Use of Peroxidic Oxidants for Oxygen-Transfer Reactions'', in Peroxide Chemistry: Mechanistic and Preparative Aspects of Oxygen Transfer. Adam, W. Ed.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2000, Chapter 3; pp. 78-112.
  29. Adam, W.;* Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G.''Asymmetric C-H Oxidation of vic-Diols to a-Hydroxy Ketones by a Fructose-Derived Dioxirane: Electronic Effects on the Enantioselectivity of Oxygen Transfer''. J. Org. Chem. 1999, 64, 7492-7497.
  30. Adam, W.; Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G.* ''Asymmetric Epoxidation of Olefins by Chiral Dioxiranes Generated in situ from Ketones of D(-)-Quinic Acid''. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 1999, 10, 2749-2755.
  31. Adam, W.;* Makosza, M.; Stalinski, K.; Zhao, C.-G. ''DMD Oxidation of in-situ-Generated sH-Adducts Derived from Nitroarenes and the Carbanion of
    2-Phenylpropionitrile to Phenols: The First Direct Substitution of a Nitro by a Hydroxy Group''.  J. Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 4390-4391.
  32. Adam, W.; Makosza, M.; Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G.* ''A Mild and Efficient Nef Reaction for the Conversion of Nitro to Carbonyl Group by Dimethyldioxirane (DMD) Oxidation of Nitronate Anions''. Synlett 1998, 1335-1336.
  33. Adam, W.;* Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G.  ''Enantioselective Oxidation of vic-Diols to Optically Active a-Hydroxy Ketones by a Fructose-Derived Dioxirane''. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 1998, 9, 4117-4122.
  34. Adam, W.;* Fell, R. T.; Saha-Möller, C. R.; Zhao, C.-G. ''Synthesis of Optically Active a-Hydroxy Ketones by Enantioselective Oxidation of Silyl Enol Ethers with a Fructose-Derived Dioxirane'', Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 1998, 9, 397-401.
  35. Adam, W.;* Smerz, A. K.; Zhao, C.-G. ''Dioxiranes - Highly Reactive Oxidants for Stereoselective Oxyfunctionalizations''. J. Prakt. Chem. 1997, 339, 298-300.
  36. Adam, W.;* Zhao, C.-G. ''Synthesis of Optically Active C2-Symmetric Ketones for the Asymmetric Epoxidation of Prochiral Olefins by Dioxiranes Generated in situ with Caroate as Peroxide Source''. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 1997, 8, 3995-3998.
  37. Zhang, R.-Y.;* Zhao, C.-G. ''Ring-Opening Reactions of Some Phosphoryl-Substituted Cyclopropanes by -NH and -SH Nucleophiles''. Heteroatom Chem. 1996, 7, 155-161.
  38. Zhang, R.-Y.;* Zhao, C.-G. ''Cyclopropylphosphine Oxides, New Reagents for the Synthesis of Five-Membered Heterocycles''. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1996, 511-512.

Paper Presentations

  1. Makosza, M.; Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G.; Stalinski, K. ''Dimethyl Dioxirane (DMD) Oxidation of sH Adducts of Carbanions to Nitroarenes. Direct Synthesis of Substituted Phenols'', 12th International Conference on Organic Synthesis (ICOS-12) IUPAC, Venice, Italy. Oral presentation, June 28-July 2, 1998.
  2. Makosza, M.; Adam, W.; Zhao, C.-G.; Surowiec, M. ''Oxidation of Anionic sH Adducts of C-Nucleophiles to Nitroarenes with Dimethyldioxirane (DMD)'', Summer School on Green Chemistry, Venice, Italy. Poster, September 6-12, 1999.
  3. W. Adam, H.-G. Degen, A. Pastor, C. R. Saha-Möller, S. B. Schambony, C.-G. Zhao
    ''Preparative Use of Peroxidic Oxidants for Oxygen-Transfer Reactions''
    Abschlußkolloquium des Schwerpunktprogramms; Peroxidchemie: Mechanistische und präparative Aspekte des Sauerstofftransfers, Würzburg, Germany. Oral presentation, October 6-8, 1999.
  4. Zhao, C.-G.; Negrete, G. R. ''Synthesis of 5-Halogenated (S)-2,3-Dihydropyrimidin-4(1H)-ones and Their Coupling with Terminal Alkynes'' 57thACS Southwest Regional Meeting, San Antonio, USA. Poster, October 17-20, 2001.
  5. Bez, G.; Zhao, C.-G. "Can Chiral Aldehydes be Catalysts for Dioxirane-Mediated Asymmetric Epoxidations?" 38thNational Organic Symposium, Bloomington, Indiana, USA. Poster, June 7-12, 2003.
  6. Zhao, C.-G.; Bez, G. Reaction of Epoxides and Isocyanides for the Synthesis of Sotolone Derivatives. 228th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 22-26, 2004. 
  7. Zhao, C.-G.; Chakraborty, R.; Franz, V.; Bez, G. "New pathways of the Schmidt reaction and their synthetic applications" 230th ACS National Meeting, Washington, DC, United States, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, 2005.
  8. Zhao, C.-G.; Dodda, R.; Liu, J. "Proline-catalyzed tandem aldol and alkylation reactions in alcoholic medium." 230th ACS National Meeting, Washington, DC, United States, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, 2005.
  9. Samanta, S.; Liu, J.; Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G. "C2-Symmetric Bisprolinamide as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Direct Aldol Reaction" UTSA Chemistry Department Open House Presentaion, UTSA, TX, United States, Aug. 12, 2006.
  10. Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G. "Asymmetric Cross Aldol Reaction of 1,2-Diketones and Ketones Mediated by L-proline Derivatives" 232th American Chemical SocietyNational Meeting, San Francisco, CA, United States, Sept. 10-Sept. 14, 2006.
  11. Samanta, S.; Zhao, C.-G. Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Hydroxy Phosphonates" 232th American Chemical SocietyNational Meeting, San Francisco, CA, United States, Sept. 10-Sept. 14, 2006.
  12. Jakka, K.; Zhao, C-G. "Catalytic Highly Enantioselective C-H oxidation of vic-Diols with Shi's Oxazolindione Dioxiranes." 232th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, United States, Sept. 10-Sept. 14, 2006.
  13. Samanta, S.; Liu, J.; Dodda, R.; Zhao, C.-G. "Novel L-Prolinamide Derivative as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Direct Aldol Reaction" 232th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, United States, Sept. 10-Sept. 14, 2006.
  14. Navarro, A., Zhao, C-G. Synthesis of Prolinal Dithiolacetals for Asymmetric Epoxidations" ABRCMS conference, Austin, TX, United States, November 7-10, 2007.

Invited Lectures

  1. "Development of Novel Synthetic Methodologies for Organic Synthesis" Invited lecture. Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, April 6, 2006.
  2. "Organocatalyses with Ketones, Aldehydes and Proline Derivatives" Invited lecture. Department of Chemistry, University of New Mexico, April 21, 2006.
  3. "Novel Synthetic Methods for a-Hydroxy and a-Aminophosphonate Derivatives" Invited lecture. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, September 27, 2006.
  4. "a-Ketophosphonates and Phosphinates, Versatile Substrates for the Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Substituted Phosphonates and Phosphinates" June 5, 2007. Invited talk. College of Chemistry and Materials, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
  5. "a-Ketophosphonates and Phosphinates, Versatile Substrates for the Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Substituted Phosphonates and Phosphinates" June 6, 2007. Invited talk. College of Chemistry and Materials, Anhui Normal University , Wuhu, China
  6. "Enantioselective Synthesis of a-Substituted Phosphonate Derivatives" June 13, 2007. Invited talk. Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
  7. "Synthesis of New Proline Derivatives for Organocatalysis" 63rd Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Societ, November 4-7, 2007. Invited talk, Lubbock, TX, United States.