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WANG GROUP

ORGANIC SYNTHESIS AND CATALYSIS

Pitt Chemistry
Wang Group on X

The Wang group develops new catalysts and catalytic strategies to tackle challenging problems in chemical reactivity and selectivity. Our research combines hypothesis-driven exploration with creative exploitation of serendipitous findings to uncover new opportunities in catalysis. Through the exploration of the modern organometallic chemistry of transition metals and main-group elements, we aim to create useful new platforms for the C–H functionalization and hydrofunctionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Our work targets the functionalization of both plentiful hydrocarbon feedstocks and advanced intermediates for bioactive compounds, enabling the construction of products of higher molecular complexity through novel mechanistic pathways.

 

Fifth Floor, Chevron Science Center
Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences  •  University of Pittsburgh
Department of Chemistry

Research Areas

We explore diverse organometallic tools and develop novel reagents to activate α-C−H bonds and π bonds of unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules. These methods enable installation of a variety of functional groups, while offering distinct control of chemoselectivity, regioselectivity and enantioselectivity.

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Group News

Apr 2026: Check out Ruiqi’s newest paper (with Pei-Pei and former group member Jin!) investigating the mechanism of our iridium chemistry: Chirality Matching Induces Molecularity Change and Diastereodivergence in Iridium-Catalyzed Allylation of Propargylic C−H Bonds.

Jun 2025: James’s paper (with Jin, Mason, and Anna) on the synthesis of chiral acetals by iridium-catalyzed propargylic C–H functionalization with application to the formal synthesis of UCS1025A has been published in Chemical Science: Intramolecular Asymmetric Propargylation of Esters and Imides: C–H Functionalisation Enables Stereocontrolled Access to UCS1025A.
Also, check out the group’s invited review on the enantioselective synthesis of group 14 propargyls and allenyls in Chem. Asian J.: Asymmetric Synthesis of Propargylic and Allenic Silanes, Germanes, and Stannanes.

Dec 2024: Yue and Aaron’s paper on enyne hydrofluorination has been published in Organic Chemistry Frontiers as an invited manuscript: Access to Fluorinated Dienes through Hydrofluorination of 2-En-4-ynoates. Congrats to Yue, Aaron, Rui (former postdoc), and Nick (former undergraduate)!

Nov 2024: Jiao’s paper with Yue, Shalini, Jin, Jerry, and Dr. Steve Geib has been published in J. Am. Chem. Soc.: Iridium-Catalyzed Enantioselective C–H Trifluoromethylthiolation and Related Processes (N.B.: Please see corrections here, submitted 2024-10-4).  Reto Mueller has highlighted this work on the organic-chemistry.org portal (link). Excellent work, Jiao, Yue, Shalini, Jin, Jerry, and Steve!

Oct 2024: Yue’s paper with Jin and Austin on oxidative propargylic C–O coupling has been published in Angewandte Chemie: An Organometallic Umpolung Approach for Iron-Mediated Propargylic C–H Etherification. Congrats to Yue for spearheading this project and getting a job offer and to the rest of the team (Jin and Austin) for the great work! 

Aug 2024: Ruihan and Christopher’s paper (in collaboration with Crispin Lichtenberg’s group at the University of Marburg) on bismuth catalyzed C–H functionalization is published in JACS: Transition Metal Mimetic π-Activation by Cationic Bismuth(III) Catalysts for Allylic C–H Functionalization of Olefins Using C═O and C═N Electrophiles. Congrats on the great work, Ruihan and Chris!  Crispin, thank you and Sebastián and Johannes for a great collaboration!

May 2024: Sarah’s paper on the coupling of nitrogen containing Michael acceptors with alkenes is published in Chemical Science: A C–H Functionalization Approach to Diverse Nitrogenous Scaffolds Through Conjugate Addition of Catalytic Allyliron Nucleophiles. Congrats on the paper and the new job, Sarah!

Apr 2024: Shalini, Aaron, Austin, Jin, and Yidong published their work 1,3-enyne synthesis from C−H functionalization of alkynes in Organic Letters:  Synthesis of 1,3-Enynes by Iron-Catalyzed Propargylic C–H Functionalization: An Alkyne Analogue for the Eschenmoser Methenylation. Congratulations to Shalini on her first paper!
Sarah successfully defends her PhD.  Congratulations, Dr. Scrivener!

Feb 2024: Our work with Peng Liu’s group on enantioselective propargylic silylation has been published in Angewandte Chemie: Enantioselective and Regiodivergent Synthesis of Propargyl- and Allenylsilanes through Catalytic Propargylic C−H Deprotonation. Congrats to Jin, Hengye, Hai, James, Ruiqi, and Yue!