Publications

Independent academic research

[16] Liwen Xia, Wenyang Hong, Chong Tian and Ye Zhu “Spatial Assembly of Mechanically Planar Chiral Rotaxanes on Rationally Designed Cavitands” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2025, 64, e202515927. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202515927 [open access].

[15] Junqiang Wei, Zhuoer Wang, Pengyao Xing and Ye Zhu “Enantiotopic-group-selective coupling for unified access to carbazole atropisomers as versatile chiral chromophores” Nature Communications 2025, 16, 10313. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65243-8 [open access].

[14] Ivan Keng Wee On, Yu Kun Choo, Sambhav Baid and Ye Zhu “Measuring the stereogenic remoteness in non-central chirality: a stereocontrol connectivity index for asymmetric reactions” Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2025, 21, 1995–2006. DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.21.155 [open access] (Invited contribution to special issue “Non-central chirality in organic chemistry”).

[13] Yuhao Zhu, Ye Zhu “Substrate Adaptability Enabled by Remote Noncovalent Interactions: How Far Are We?” ChemCatChem 2025, e00291. DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202500291 [open access] (Invited).

[12] Wenyang Hong, Ivan Keng Wee On, Ye Zhu “Stereoinduction without direction: the long arm of ionic chiral ligands” Trends in Chemistry 2025, 7, 263–266. DOI:10.1016/j.trechm.2025.04.002[full text] (Invited).

[11] Chi Liu, Yang Yang, Wenyang Hong, Jun-An Ma, Ye Zhu “Ion Hydration Enables Generality in Asymmetric Catalysis: Desymmetrization to P-Stereogenic Triarylphosphine Derivatives.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2025, e202417827. (Very Important Paper) DOI:10.1002/anie.202417827 [中文简介].

[10] Mingfeng Li, Clement Kim Soon Ho, Ivan Keng Wee On, Vincent Gandon, and Ye Zhu “Inherently chiral resorcinarene cavitands through ionic catalyst-controlled cross-coupling” Chem 2024, 10, 3323–3341. DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2024.06.012 [full text][中文简介].

[9] Ivan Keng Wee On and Ye Zhu ’’Enantioselective Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura reactions enabled by ionic ligand–substrate interactions’’ Synlett 2024, 35, 405–411. DOI: 10.1055/a-2112-9552 (Invited contribution to Synlett Cluster for the 11th Singapore International Chemistry Conference, SICC-11)

[8] Xiao Hai, Yang Zheng, Qi Yu, Na Guo, Shibo Xi, Xiaoxu Zhao, Sharon Mitchell, Xiaohua Luo, Victor Tulus, Mu Wang, Xiaoyu Sheng, Longbin Ren, Xiangdong Long, Jing Li, Peng He, Huihui Lin, Yige Cui, Xinnan Peng, Jiwei Shi, Jie Wu, Chun Zhang, Ruqiang Zou, Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, Javier Pérez-Ramírez*, Ming Joo Koh, Ye Zhu, Jun Li, Jiong Lu “Geminal-atom catalysis for cross-coupling” Nature 2023, 622, 754–760. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06529-z

[7] Junqiang Wei, Vincent Gandon, and Ye Zhu ’’Amino Acid-Derived Ionic Chiral Catalysts Enable Desymmetrizing Cross-Coupling to Remote Acyclic Quaternary Stereocenters’’ J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 16796–16811. [full text][中文简介]

[6] Ivan Keng Wee On and Ye Zhu “Modular assembly of highly functionalized allenes through radical allenylation of alkene” Chem Catalysis 2023, 3, 100604. [link][full text] (Invited preview)

[5] Ivan Keng Wee On, Wenyang Hong, and Ye Zhu ’’Remote control over both site-selectivity and atroposelectivity of Suzuki–Miyaura coupling through distal ionic interactions’’ Tetrahedron Letters 2023, 119, 154408. [open access] (Invited contribution to special issue on Remote Fuctionalization)

[4] Ivan Keng Wee On, Wenyang Hong, and Ye Zhu ’’Crossing the ortho-hurdle: Ionic stereocontrol enables atroposelective Suzuki−Miyaura coupling’’ Chem Catalysis 2023, 3, 100523. DOI:10.1016/j.checat.2023.100523 [open access][中文简介 – X-MOL][Highlight]

[3] Mingfeng Li, Xiu Li Chia, Chong Tian and Ye Zhu ’’Mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes through catalytic desymmetrization’’ Chem 2022, 8, 2843–2855. DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2022.08.009 [open archive] [中文简介 – X-MOL] [Highlight in AsianJOC] [Highlight in Chem Catalysis]

[2] Mingfeng Li, Xiu Li Chia, and Ye Zhu “Tethered photocatalyst-directed palladium-catalysed C–H allenylation of N-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines” Chemical Communications 2022, 58, 4719–4722. DOI: 10.1039/D2CC01064J [open access]

[1] Yazhou Lou, Junqiang Wei, Mingfeng Li, and Ye Zhu “Distal Ionic Substrate–Catalyst Interactions Enable Long-Range Stereocontrol: Access to Remote Quaternary Stereocenters through a Desymmetrizing Suzuki–Miyaura Reaction” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2022, 144, 123–129. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12345 [open access][中文简介 – X-MOL]

Conferences and seminars

[29] “Enantiotopic-Group-Selective Coupling to Access Carbazole Atropisomers” 18th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-18). 29 November 2025, Sanya.

[26–28] “Electrostatic interactions enable remote stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling” 23 September 2025, Purdue University, West Lafayette; 24 September 2025, The University of Chicago, Chicago; 25 September 2025, Northwestern University, Evanston.

[25] “Stereoselective synthesis of cavitands and rotaxanes” The 17th International Symposium for Chinese Organic Chemists (ISCOC). 10 June 2025, Hong Kong.

[24] “Desymmetrization to P-stereogenic triarylphosphine derivatives” The 9th Grubbs Symposium. 12 April 2025, Shenzhen.

[23] “Inherently chiral cavitands through ionic catalyst-controlled cross-coupling” 17th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-17). 1 December 2024, Taipei.

[22] “Electrostatic interactions enable remote stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling” The 6th International Conference on Organometallics and Catalysis (OM&CAT-6), Nankai University, 17 August 2024, Tianjin.

[21] “Catalysis has a long arm: asymmetric induction in the construction of mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes” Junior College Visit Program, 7 August 2024.

[20] “Catalysis in Drug Discovery and Development” NUS Science Summer Institute, 8 July 2024.

[16–19] “Electrostatic interactions enable remote stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling” 4 June 2024, Nagoya University, Nagoya; 5 June 2024, Gakushūin University, Tokyo; 6 June 2024, Tohoku University, Sendai; 7 June 2024, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo.

[15]《通过离子键作用实现对钯催化的交叉偶联反应的远程立体控制》2024年5月31日，山东大学，济南

[12–14] “Electrostatic interactions enable remote stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling” 27 May 2024, Seoul National University, Seoul; 28 May 2024, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Daejeon; 29 May 2024, Pusan National University, Busan.

[11] “Ionic interactions enable electrostatic catalysis: remote stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions” 57th Bürgenstock Conference (Swiss Chemical Society Conference on Stereochemistry). 29 April 2024, Brunnen.

[10] “Ionic ligand–substrate interactions enable electrostatic catalysis: long-range stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions” 16th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-16). 2 December 2023, Singapore.

[9] “Ionic ligand–substrate interactions enable electrostatic catalysis: long-range stereocontrol in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions” The 15th International Kyoto Conference on New Aspects of Organic Chemistry (IKCOC-15). 23 November 2023, Kyoto.

[8] “Stereoselective Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling enabled by ionic ligand–substrate interactions” The 16th International Symposium for Chinese Organic Chemists (ISCOC-16, 第16届国际华人有机化学研讨会). 29 August 2023, Peking University, Beijing.

[7] “Developing chemical tools to precisely control the chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivity of molecular functionalization” Frontier talk for 2023 Chem Week. May 29, 2023.

[6] “Ionic interactions enable stereoselective access to mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes” Harnessing non-covalent interactions for synthesis and catalysis Faraday Discussion. 12 April 2023, York.

[5] “Remote Stereocontrol of Cross-Coupling Reactions Directed by Distal Ionic Substrate–Catalyst Interactions” 10 April 2023, Bilkent Üniversitesi, Ankara.

[4] “Ionic interactions enable remote stereocontrol of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling” 11th Asian-European Symposium on Metal-Mediated Organic Synthesis. 6 February, 2023, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.

[3] “Remote Stereocontrol Through Distal Ionic Interactions-Directed Cross-Coupling” 11th Singapore International Chemical Conference (SICC-11). 12 December 2022, Singapore.

[2] “Remote Quaternary Stereocenters Through Distal Ionic Interactions-Directed Desymmetrizing Suzuki–Miyaura Reaction” 15th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-15). 25 July 2022, Hong Kong.

[1] “Targeting Synthetic Reactions Applicable to Drug Discovery and Development” 10th Singapore International Chemical Conference (SICC-10). 18 December 2018, Singapore.

Publications Prior to Joining NUS

[10] Bin Zheng, Chao Hang, Jason Zhu, Geoffrey E. Purdum, Melda Sezen-Edmonds, Daniel S. Treitler, Miao Yu, Changxia Yuan, Ye Zhu, Adam Freitag, Siwei Guo, Guanghui Zhu, Ben Hritzko, James Paulson, Jonathan G. Shackman, Brian L. He, Weiqing Fu, Hua Chia Tai, Sloan Ayers, Hyunsoo Park, Martin D. Eastgate, Ben Cohen, Amanda Rogers, Qinggang Wang, and Michael A. Schmidt “P(III) vs P(V): A P(V) Reagent for Thiophosphoramidate Linkages and Application to an Asymmetric Synthesis of a Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonist” The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2022, 87, 1934–1940 [link][full text].

[9] Kyle W. Knouse, Justine N. deGruyter, Michael A. Schmidt, Bin Zheng, Julien C. Vantourout, Cian Kingston, Stephen E. Mercer, Ivar M. Mcdonald, Richard E. Olson, Ye Zhu, Chao Hang, Jason Zhu, Changxia Yuan, Qinggang Wang, Peter Park, Martin D. Eastgate, and Phil S. Baran “Unlocking P(V): Reagents for Chiral Phosphorothioate Synthesis” Science 2018, 361, 1234–1238 [full text].

[8] Gregory Beutner, Ronald Carrasquillo, Peng Geng, Yi Hsiao, Eric C. Huang, Jacob Janey, Kishta Katipally, Sergei Kolotuchin, Thomas La Porte, Andrew Lee, Paul Lobben, Federico Lora-Gonzalez, Brendan Mack, Boguslaw Mudryk, Yuping Qiu, Xinhua Qian, Antonio Ramirez, Thomas M. Razler, Thorsten Rosner, Zhongping Shi, Eric Simmons , Jason Stevens, Jianji Wang, Carolyn Wei, Steven R. Wisniewski , and Ye Zhu “Adventures in Atropisomerism: Total Synthesis of a Complex Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient with Two Chirality Axes” Organic Letters 2018, 20, 3736–3740 [open access].

[7] Nachiket Likhite, Sivaraj Ramasamy, Shankar Tendulkar, Shunmugaraj Sathasivam, Michael Luzung, Ye Zhu, Neil Strotman, Jeffrey Nye, Adrian Ortiz, Susanne Kiau, Martin D. Eastgate, and Rajappa Vaidyanathan “Development of a Safe and Robust Process for the Large-Scale Preparation of a Vinyl Bromide from a Ketone Using a (PhO)3P/Br2-Derived Reagent” Organic Process Research & Development, 2016, 20, 977–981 [link].

[6] Ye Zhu and Stephen L. Buchwald “Ligand-Controlled Asymmetric Arylation of Aliphatic a-Amino Anion Equivalents” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014, 136, 4500–4503 [link][full text] (Highlighted in Synfacts 2014, 10, 716 and in Organic Process Research & Development 2014, 18, 565).

[5] Antoinette E. Nibbs, Thomas D. Montgomery, Ye Zhu, and Viresh H. Rawal “Access to Spirocyclized Oxindoles and Indolenines via Palladium-Catalyzed Cascade Reactions of Propargyl Carbonates with 2-Oxotryptamines and Tryptamines” The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2015, 80, 4928–4941 [link][full text].

[4] Thomas D. Montgomery, Antoinette E. Nibbs, Ye Zhu, and Viresh H. Rawal  “Rapid Access to Spirocyclized Indolenines via Palladium-Catalyzed Cascade Reactions of Tryptamine Derivatives and Propargyl Carbonate” Organic Letters 2014, 16, 3480–3483 [link][full text].

[3] Thomas D. Montgomery, Ye Zhu, Natsuko Kagawa, and Viresh H. Rawal “Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Allylation and Benzylation of N-Alloc and N-Cbz Indoles” Organic Letters 2013, 15, 1140–1143 [link][full text].

[2] Ye Zhu and Viresh H. Rawal “Palladium-Catalyzed C3-Benzylation of Indoles” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2012, 134, 111–114 [link][full text] (Highlighted in Organic Process Research & Development 2012, 16, 720).

[1] Ye Zhu, Jeremiah P. Malerich, and Viresh H. Rawal “Squaramide-Catalyzed Enantioselective Michael Addition of Diphenyl Phosphite to Nitroalkenes” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2010, 49, 153–156 [link][full text] (Highlighted in Science 2009, 326, 1460–1461; Top 1% Highly Cited Paper according to Web of Science; Commercialized by Sigma-Aldrich, Catalog No. 728357).

Book Chapter

[1] Yunus. E. Türkmen, Ye Zhu, and Viresh H. Rawal “Asymmetric Catalysis with Non-Covalent Activations: Brønsted Acids” in Comprehensive Enantioselective Organocatalysis, Ed. Peter I. Dalko, Wiley-VCH 2013, Pages 241–288. [link]

ORCID [0000-0002-8566-576X]

Web of Science [Researcher ID]

Google Scholar Profile [link]

Scopus ID [57198948073]