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The first examples of enantiopure catalysts that are chiral merely due to coordination of different metal ions at enantiotopic positions of an achiral meso-ligand are reported. These catalysts exhibit a pseudo-Cs symmetry and are able to catalyze reactions demanding simultaneous involvement of two catalytic sites. The latter was demonstrated by application in the asymmetric ring-opening of meso-epoxides.

A convenient Fe-catalyzed four-component radical dual difunctionalization and ordered assembly of two alkenes with aromatic/aliphatic aldehydes and TBHP to provide chain elongated β,δ-functionalized ketones via a one-pot procedure has been developed. Aldehydes were homolytically cleavaged to produce acyl radicals and subsequently allowed for the successive construction of C(sp2)-C(sp3), C(sp3)-C(sp3), and C(sp3)-O bonds via dual radical insertions and radical-radical coupling, following the intrinsic nucleo/electrophilic reactivity of both the radicals and alkenes.

A convenient Co-catalyzed three-component decarbonylative alkylative esterification of styrene derivatives with aliphatic aldehydes and iodobenzene diacetate to provide chain elongated acetates and benzoates has been developed. Readily available aliphatic aldehydes are decarbonylated into 1°, 2° and 3° alkyl radicals for the construction of a C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond via radical addition and an interconversion of CoII–CoIII–CoI complexes is accountable for the formation of a C(sp3)–O bond.

Natural quinones and their analogues have attracted growing attention because of their novel anticancer activities. A series of novel isothiazoloquinoline quinone analogues were synthesized and evaluated for antitumor activities against four different kind of cancer cells. Among them, isothiazoloquinolinoquinones inhibited cancer cells proliferation effectively with IC50 values in the nanomolar range, and isothiazoloquinolinoquinone 13a induced the cell apoptosis. Further exploration of possible mechanism of action indicates that 13a not only activates ROS production through NQO1-directed redox cycling but also inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT3. These findings indicate that 13a has potential use for the development of new skeleton drug candidate as an efficient substrate of NQO1 and STAT3 inhibitor.

In order to enhance the mitochondria-targeting ability of spinosad. A series of quartenary ammonium spinosyn derivatives was designed and synthesized. Some of the derivatives displayed greatly enhanced antiproliferative ability towards tested human cancer cell lines. The structure activity relationship study indicated that lipophilicity has a great influence on the antiproliferative effects of these derivatives. The most active compound 11d exhibited remarkably enhanced OXPHS inhibition and apoptosis inducing ability than spinosyn A.

A practical zinc acetate dihydrate catalyzed reductive amination of various carbonyl compounds with DMF as Me2N source, reductant and solvent is developed. This reaction shows broad substrate scope, good functionality tolerance, avoids pressure-proof reactor and column chromatograph isolation with up to 98 % yield, to make it an attractive method for the preparation of N,N-dimethyl tertiary amines.

In order to improve the antiproliferative activity of naringenin, a naturally occurred flavonoid in citrus fruits, a series of naringenin derivatives with a tertiary amino side chain were prepared. The antiproliferative activities of these naringenin derivatives were evaluated on four human cancer cell lines, namely, MCF-7, HCT116, Hela, and A549. Compounds 4a, 9a, and 10a exhibited remarkably enhanced growth inhibition activity. Based on the observed results, the structure–activity relationship of these derivatives was discussed.

The synthesis of two conformationally restricted Cr(III) salen complexes, 2 and 3, is described. Together, they constitute a supramolecular hydrogen-bonding catalytic system for the recently reported asymmetric ring-opening reactions of epoxides by a dynamic supramolecular catalyst. The synthesis involves state-of-the art transformations in frontline synthetic chemistry applied to heterocyclic chemistry. Hence, palladium-catalyzed reactions were employed, including carbonylative annelation and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions, for the formation of one of the heterocyclic rings (quinolone) and the functionalization of the formed rings. For the construction of the second heterocyclic ring (isoquinolone), a Curtius rearrangement was employed. The corresponding salen ligands were then prepared by Schiff-base reactions, yielding the final complexes after metal insertion. For reference purposes the less conformationally restricted Cr(III) complexes 4 and 5 were also synthesized.

An iodine-catalyzed multiple C–H bond functionalization of isoquinolines with methylarenes via a successive benzylic sp3 C–H iodination/N-benzylation/amidation/double sp2 C–H oxidation sequence is developed. This reaction utilizes un-functionalized isoquinolines and readily available methylarenes as starting materials, proceeds under metal-free conditions, and avoids a multi-step experimental operation, to make it an efficient and practical method for the synthesis of N-benzyl isoquinoline-1,3,4-triones.

Angelmarin, a naturally occurring coumarin, exhibited highly anti-austerity potency towards human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1. In this paper, an efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of angelmarin and its analogs from columbianetin has been developed via a ZnO mediated esterification and a Wittig reaction.