Yunfei Cai
Yunfei Cai, PI, Professor.
Email: yf.cai@cqu.edu.cn, Phone: 15928708564
Yunfei Cai studied at Sichuan University, College of Chemistry, where he completed his diploma thesis under the direction of Professor Xiaoming Feng in 2009. He stayed in Feng’s group and obtained his Ph.D. from Sichuan University in 2014 working on the Lewis acid catalyzed asymmetric halofunctionalization reactions. Yunfei then obtained prestigious Humboldt fellowship and moved to RWTH University in Germany and KAUST in Saudi Arabia to work with Professor Magnus Rueping on Brønsted acid catalysis and photoredox catalysis from 2014 to 2017. In September 2017, he joined Chongqing University as PI to start his independent research. Prof. Cai’s research interests focus on the development of functionalized furanoxonium ion-based asymmetric rearrangement reactions and carbon nitride-based heterogeneous photoredox catalysis in organic synthesis.
Research Interests
The Development of Asymmetric Rearrangement Reactions Based on Biomass Furan Derivatives
The Development of Carbon Nitride-based Heterogeneous Photocatalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis
Honors and Awards
The First Prize of Natural Science of Ministry of Education (R-07), 2019
Sichuan University-Dongtu Academic Innovation Award (R-04), 2016
Humboldt Research Fellowship, Germany 2014
Reaxys PhD Prize (finalist), 2012
OMCOS16 Excellent Poster Prize, 2011
Publications
Independent Work (after 2017)
1. Poly(Heptazine Imide) Ligand Exchange Enables Remarkable Low Catalyst Loadings in Heterogeneous Metallaphotocatalysis
Liuzhuang Xing, Qian Yang, Chen Zhu, Yilian Bai, Yurong Tang*, Magnus Rueping*, Yunfei Cai*, Nat. Commun. 2023, 14, 1501
(Featured by the Editor: Editors’ Highlights in Catalysis; Highlighted by Synfacts 2023, 19, 0594).
2. Heterogeneous Metallaphotocatalytic C(sp2)−C(sp3) Cross-Coupling Reactions with Integrated Bipyridyl-Ni(II)-Carbon Nitride
Xiao Dan, Qian Yang, Liuzhuang Xing, Yurong Tang,* Wentao Wang*, Yunfei Cai*, Org. Lett. 2023, 25, 4124–4129 (front cover).
3. Copper-doped carbon nitride as a practical heterogeneous metallaphotocatalyst for aerobic oxidative cross-coupling of tertiary amines with terminal alkynes
Yilian Bai, Qian Yang, Yurong Tang,* Xiao Dan, Wentao Wang,* Yunfei Cai*, Green Chem. 2023, 25, 4446–4452.
4. Cu(I)/Chiral Vanadium Complex Cooperatively Catalyzed Asymmetric Sulfonation/Rearrangement of Alkenylfurans
Hongxiang Li, Qian Yang, Lei Xu, Jie Wei, Yurong Tang*, and Yunfei Cai*, Org. Lett. 2022, 24, 8202–8207.
5. Asymmetric Ketoalkylation/Rearrangement of Alkyenlfurans via Synergistic Photoredox/Brønsted Acid Catalysis
Jie Wei, Yurong Tang*, Qian Yang, Hongxiang Li, Dongxian He*, and Yunfei Cai*, Org. Lett. 2022, 24, 7928–7933.
6. Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Bridged Tetrahydrobenzo[b]azepines/oxepines
Jiaming Zou, Lei Xu, Yurong Tang*, Wentao Wang, and Yunfei Cai*, Org. Lett. 2022, 24, 7140–7144
(Highlighted by Synfacts 2023, 19, 0078).
7. Retro-Aza-Piancatelli Rearrangement Triggered Cascade Reaction of Methyl Furylacrylates with Anilines to Access Cyclopenta[b]pyrrolidinones
Lei Xu, Hongxiang Li, Liuzhuang Xing, Qian Yang, Yurong Tang, and Yunfei Cai*, J. Org. Chem. 2022, 87, 855–865.
8. Recent Advances on Piancatelli Reactions and Related Cascade Processes
Sishi Zhong, Lei Xu, and Yunfei Cai*, Synthesis 2022, 54, 589–599 (Invited Review).
9. Construction of metal (Mn, Ce, Eu)-containing species in CN nanocomposites with photo-responsive oxidase-mimicking activity for multi-antioxidant discrimination
Fan Du, Xiaojie Zhou, Yilian Bai, Qing Tang, Yunfei Cai*, and Yurong Tang*, New J. Chem. 2022, 46, 6670–6676.
10. Catalytic Asymmetric Radical-Mediated Three-Component Piancatelli-Type Rearrangement of Furylalkenes
Lei Xu, Sishi Zhong, Qian Yang, Jie Wei, Jiaming Zou, Hongxiang Li, and Yunfei Cai*, ACS Catal. 2021, 11, 10198–10207.
11. Semi-heterogeneous photocatalytic fluoroalkylation-distal functionalization of unactivated alkenes with RFSO2Na under air atmospher
Yali He, Xiao Dan, Yurong Tang*, Qian Yang, Wentao Wang*, and Yunfei Cai*, Green Chem. 2021, 23, 9577–9582
12. Remarkable Activity of Potassium-Modified Carbon Nitride for Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Decarboxylative
Alkyl/Acyl Radical Addition and Reductive Dimerization of para-Quinone Methides
Qian Yang, Guanglong Pan, Jie Wei, Wentao Wang, Yurong Tang*, and Yunfei Cai*, ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2021, 9, 2367–2377.
13. Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Cyanomethylarylation of Alkenes with Acetonitrile: Synthesis of Diverse Nitrogenous Heterocyclic Compound
Guanglong Pan, Qian Yang, Wentao Wang, Yurong Tang*, and Yunfei Cai*, Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1171–1180.
14. Ln(III)/Chiral Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Cascade Ring Opening/Aza-Piancatelli Rearrangement of D-A Cyclopropanes
Lei Xu, Qian Yang, Shisi Zhong, Hongxiang Li, Yurong Tang,* and Yunfei Cai*, Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 9016–9021.
15. A g-C3N4-based Heterogeneous Photocatalyst for Visible Light Mediated Aerobic Benzylic C-H Oxygenations.
Pengxin Geng, Yurong Tang, Guanglong Pan, Wentao Wang, Jinchuan Hu*, and Yunfei Cai*, Green. Chem. 2019, 21, 6116–6122.
16. Asymmetric Catalytic Halofunctionalization of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Pengfei Zhou, and Xiaoming Feng*, J. Org. Chem. 2019, 84, 1–13 (Invited Perspective).
17. Heterogeneous Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis with Graphitic Carbon Nitride for α-Aminoalkyl Radical Additions, Allylations, and Heteroarylations
Yunfei Cai, Yurong Tang, Lulu Fan, Quntin Lefebvre, Hong Hou, Magnus Rueping*. ACS Catal. 2018, 8, 9471−9476.
Prior to CQU (before 2017)
18. Catalytic AsymmetricPiancatelli Rearrangement: Brønsted Acid Catalyzed 4π Electrocyclization for the Synthesis of Multisubstituted Cyclopentenones
Yunfei Cai, Yurong Tang, Iuliana Atodiresei, and Magnus Rueping*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 14126–14130.
19. Diastereoselectively Switchable Asymmetric Haloaminocyclization for the Synthesis of Cyclic Sulfamates
Yunfei Cai, Pengfei Zhou, Xiaohua Liu, Jiannan Zhao, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 6386–6389.
20. Iron-Catalyzed Asymmetric Haloamination Reactions
Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Pengfei Zhou, Yulong Kuang, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 8054–8056.
21. Catalytic Asymmetric Sulfenylation of Unprotected 3-Substituted Oxindoles
Yunfei Cai, Jun Li, Weiliang Chen, Mingsheng Xie, Xiaohua Liu, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 2726–2729.
22. Asymmetric Iodoamination of Chalcones and 4-Aryl-4-oxobutenoates Catalyzed by a Complex Based on Scandium(III) and a N,N′-Dioxide Ligand
Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Jun Li, Wentao Wang, Weiliang Chen, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 14916–14921.
23. Asymmetric Chloroamination Reaction of α,β-Unsaturated γ-Keto Esters and Chalcones
Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Jun Jiang, Weiliang Chen, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 5636–5639.
24. Catalytic Asymmetric Bromoamination of Chalcones: Highly Efficient Synthesis of Chiral α-Bromo-β-amino Ketone Derivatives
Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Yonghai Hui, Jun Jiang, Wentao Wang, Weiliang Chen, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*,
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 6160–6164.
25. Highly enantioselective α-chlorination of cyclic β-ketoesters catalyzed by N,N’-Dioxide using NCS as the chlorine source
Yunfei Cai, Wentao Wang, Ke Shen, Jun Wang, Xiaolei Hu, Lili Lin, Xiaohua Liu and Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Commun. 2010, 46, 1250–1252.
26. A Triple-channel Sensing Array for Protein Discrimination Based on Multi-photoresponsive g-C3N4
Yuanli Long, Shuang Liu, Yunfei Cai, Jiale Zhang, Xinfeng Zhang*, Yurong Tang*, Microchimica Acta 2020, 187, 449.
27. Electrochemical and Scalable Dehydrogenative C(sp3)−H Amination via Remote Hydrogen Atom Transfer in Batch and Continuous Flow
Pavlo Nikolaienko, Marc Jentsch, Ajit P. Kale, Yunfei Cai, Magnus Rueping*, Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 7177–7184.
28. Catalytic Ester and Amide to Amine Interconversion: Nickel-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Amination of Esters and Amides by C−O and C−C Bond Activation
Huifeng Yue, Lin Guo, Hsuan-Hung Liao, Yunfei Cai, Chen Zhu and Magnus Rueping*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 4282–4285.
29. Catalytic Asymmetric Intra- and Intermolecular Haloetherification of Enones: An Efficient Approach to (−)-Centrolobine
Pengfei Zhou, Yunfei Cai, Xia Zhong, Weiwei Luo, Tengfei Kang, Jun Li, Xiaohua Liu*, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, ACS Catal. 2016, 6, 7778–7783.
30. Asymmetric Synthesis of Spirocyclic Oxindole-Fused Tetrahydrothiophenes via N,N′-Dioxide–Nickel(II) Catalyzed Domino Reaction of 1,4-Dithiane-2,5-diol with 3-Alkenyloxindoles
Pengfei Zhou, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiangjin Lian, Yong Xia, Xiaohua Liu and Xiaoming Feng*, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2015, 357, 695–700.
31. Catalytic asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of aromatic aldehydes with oxiranes by C–C bond cleavage of epoxides: highly efficient synthesis of chiral 1,3-dioxolanes
Weiliang Chen, Lili Lin, Yunfei Cai, Yong Xia, Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu and Xiaoming Feng *, Chem. Commun. 2014, 50, 2161–2163.
32. Catalytic Asymmetric [8+2] Cycloaddition: Synthesis of Cycloheptatriene-Fused Pyrrole Derivatives
Mingsheng Xie, Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoxia Wu, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 5604-5607.
33. Highly Stereoselective Conjugate Addition and α-Alkynylation Reaction with Electron-Deficient Alkynes Catalyzed by Chiral Scandium(III) Complexes
Zhen Wang, Zuliang Zhang, Qian Yao, Xiaohua Liu, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Eur. J. 2013, 19, 8591–8596.
34. Highly Enantioselective Fluorination of Unprotected 3‑Substituted Oxindoles: One-Step Synthesis of BMS 204352 (MaxiPost)
Jun Li, Yunfei Cai, Weiliang Chen, Xiaohua Liu, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, J. Org. Chem. 2012, 77, 9148–9155.
35. A Catalytic Asymmetric Ring-Expansion Reaction of Isatins and a-Alkyl-a-Diazoesters: Highly Efficient Synthesis of Functionalized 2-Quinolone Derivatives
Wei Li, Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoyu Hao, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 8644–8647.
36. Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydroquinolin-4-one Derivatives Catalyzed by a Chiral Bisguanidium Salt
Xiao Xiao, Xiaohua Liu, Shunxi Dong, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 15922–15926.
37. Enantioselective aza-Michael reaction of hydrazide to chalcones through the nonactivated amine moiety conjugated addition
Jun Jiang, Yunfei Cai, Weiliang Chen, Lili Lin, Xiaohua Liu and Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 4016–4018.
38. Enantioselective One-Pot Synthesis of 2-Amino-4-(indol-3-yl)-4H-Chromenes
Weiliang Chen, Yunfei Cai, Xuan Fu, Xiaohua Liu, Lili Lin, and Xiaoming Feng*, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 2011, 4910–4913.
39. Highly Enantioselective Zinc-Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with Ethyl Trifluoropyruvate
Yonghai Hui, Weiliang Chen, Wentao Wang, Jun Jiang, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng*, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2011, 18, 3174-3178.
40. Highly Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of Thioglycolate to Chalcones Catalyzed by Lanthanium: Low Catalyst Loading and Remarkable Chiral Amplification
Yonghai Hui, Jun Jiang, Wentao Wang, Weiliang Chen, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 4290-4293.
41. Chiral N,N'-Dioxide-Yb(III) Complexes Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrophosphony- lation of Aldehydes
Weiliang Chen, Yonghai Hui, Xin Zhou, Jun Jiang,Yunfei Cai, Xiaohua Liu, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng*, Tetrahedron Lett. 2010, 51, 4175–4178.
42. Facile and Efficient Enantioselective Strecker Reaction of Ketimines by Chiral Sodium Phosphate.
Ke Shen, Xiaohua Liu, Yunfei Cai, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng*, Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 6008–6014.
