Academic Experience

1991.9-1994.6    Ph.D., ICCAS

1994.9-1999.2    Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Graduate School, CAS

1999.2-2001.12  Postdoc, University of Gent, Belgium

2002.1-2002.12  Postdoc, University of Washington at Seattle, USA

2003.1-               Associate Professor and Principal Investigator, Professor, ICCAS

Research Interests

Asymmetric synthesis

Organic reactions in environmentally benign media

Synthetic methodology on heterocycles and bioactive molecules

Selected Work

Research in our group focus on the development of efficient and highly selective asymmetric reactions and novel organic reactions in environmentally benign media for the synthesis of compounds with potential biological activities. Our studies are also driven by the discovery of the specific reaction processes and mechanisms that may exist in the green media. By designing suitable catalytic system, some reactions could be carried out better in green media such as water than in organic solvents.

1. Asymmetric synthesis

Enantioselective reactions of alcohols

Enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition reactions

2. Dehydrative and dehydrogenative coupling reactions

3. Organic reactions in environmentally benign media

Selected Publications

1. Huang, H.-Y.; Cheng, L.;*, Liu, J.-J.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.;* Li, C.-J.* “Transition-Metal-Free Alkynylation of 2‑Oxindoles through Radical−Radical Coupling”, J. Org. Chem. 2017, 82, 2656-2663.

2. Kong, D.-L.; Cheng, L.; Wu, H.-R.; Li, Y.-X.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.*, “A metal-free yne-addition/1,4-aryl migration/decarboxylation cascade reaction of alkynoates with C_sp³–H centers”, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2016, 14, 2210-2217.

3. Ren, C.-L.; Wei, F.; Xuan, Q.-Q.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.*, “Organocatalytic Enantioselective Reaction of Cyclopent-2-enone-Derived Morita–Baylis–Hillman Alcohols with 4-Hydroxycoumarins”Adv. Synth. Catal. 2016, 358, 132-137

4. Wei, F.; Huang, H.-Y.; Zhong, N.-J.; Gu, C.-L.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.* “Highly Enantioselective [3 + 2]-Annulation of Isatin-Derived Morita−Baylis−Hillman Adducts with Cyclic Sulfonimines” Org. Lett. 2015, 17, 1688-1691.

5. Li, Y.-X.; Liu, L.;* Kong, D.-L.; Wang, D.; Feng, W.-C.; Yue, T.; Li, C.-J. “Palladium-Catalyzed Alkynylation of Morita−Baylis−Hillman Carbonates with (Triisopropylsilyl)acetylene on Water” J. Org. Chem., 2015, 80, 6283-6290.

6. Wei, F.; Ren, C.-L.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.* “Highly Enantioselective [3+2] Cycloaddition of Vinylcyclopropane with Nitroalkenes Catalyzed by Palladium(0) with a Chiral Bis(tert-amine) Ligand”, Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 2335-2338.

7. Huang, H.-Y.; Wu, H.-R.; Wei, F.; Wang, D.; Liu, L.* “Iodine-Catalyzed Direct Olefination of 2-Oxindoles and Alkenes via Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling (CDC) in Air” Org. Lett., 2015, 17, 3702–3705.

8. Li, Y.-X.; Xuan, Q.-Q.; Liu, L.;* Wang D.; Chen, Y.-J.; Li, C.-J.* “A Pd(0)-Catalyzed Direct Dehydrative Coupling of Terminal Alkynes with Allylic Alcohols to Access 1,4-Enynes” J. Am. Chem. Soc, 2013, 135, 12536-12539.

9. Zhang, T.; Qiao, Z.; Wang, Y.; Zhong, N. J.; Liu, L.;* Wang, D.; Chen, Y. J. “Asymmetric direct α-alkylation of 2-oxindoles with Michlers Hydrol catalyzed by bis-cinchona alkaloid/Bronsted acid via SN₁-type pathway” Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 1636-1638.

10. Zhong, N.-J.; Wei, F.; Xuan, Q.-Q.; Liu, L.;^* Wang, D.; Chen, Y.-J. “Highly Diastereo- and Enantioselective [3+2] Annulation of Isatin-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman Carbonates with Trifluoropyruvate Catalyzed by Tertiary Amine” Chem. Commun., 2013, 49, 11071-11073.

11. Wang, Y.; Liu, L.*; Zhang, T.; Zhong, N.-J.; Wang, D.; Chen, Y.-J. “Diastereo- and enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates of isatins with N-phenylmaleimide catalyzed by Me-DuPhos” J. Org. Chem. 2012, 77, 4143-4147.

12. Qiao, Z.; Shafiq, Z.; Liu, L.*; Yu, Z.-B.; Zheng, Q.-Y.; Wang, D.; Chen, Y.-J.* “An organocatalytic, δ-regioselective, and highly enantioselective nucleophilic substitution of cyclic Morita–Baylis–Hillman alcohols with indoles” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 7294-7298.

13. Liu, L.; Wang, D. "On-water" for Green Chemistry”, Handbook of Green Chemistry, Volume 5: Reactions in Water, Chapter 7, Edited by C. J. Li, Wiley-VCH, 2010