LILI ZONG

Prof. Zong received her B.S. in chemical engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in 2006. She studied organic chemistry during her M.Sc. at Nanjing University (NJU). In 2010, she started her graduate studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) under the tutelage of Professor Choon-Hong Tan. Following that, she carried out another two years postdoctoral training with Prof. Stefan Matile in the University of Geneva (UNIGE). Subsequently, she received the support from “Nanqiang Outstanding Young Talents Program” and joined the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS), Xiamen University (XMU) as Professor in 2019.

She loves science.


Research Interest

Our research focuses on exploiting non-covalent interactions for the design of asymmetric catalysis, to address selectivity challenges in synthetic chemistry, to make conceptual advances, to shed light on mechanism thereof. Efforts will be made to construct bioactive molecules including chiral compounds and natural product analogues and to study their corresponding bioactivities and interesting biofunctions as well.


Key Publications

23. Integrating Achiral Brønsted Base and Chiral Bisguanidinium for Enantioselective Phospha-Michael Addition to Chalcones
Zhenghao Wan, Hongjie Cao, Chao Wang*, Choon-Hong Tan, Zhiping Zeng*, and Lili Zong*
ACS Catal. 2025, 15, 6426−6433. (ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.5c00918) (2025-04-04)

22. Toward Bicalutamide Analogues with High Structural Diversity Using Catalytic Asymmetric Oxohydroxylation
Xinrui Chen, Jinxin Tian, Shuangshuang Wang, Chao Wang,* Lili Zong*
J. Org. Chem. 2024, 89, 6, 3907–3911. (DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02735) (2024-03-01)

21. Asymmetric and Sustainable Synthesis of Cyclic Sulfoxides with Low Loading of Bisguanidinium Peroxomolybdate Ion-Pairing Catalyst
Libo Wang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Lili Zong
ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2024, 12, 8, 2962–2968. (DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c05747) (2024-2-14）

19. Enantioselectivity and Reactivity Enhancement by 1,1,3,3-Tetramethylguanidine in Bisguanidinium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Alkylation for Construction of Indole Alkaloid Marine Natural Products
Xiong Zuo, Zhenghao Wan, Zhihuan Liao, Chao Wang*, Choon-Hong Tan, Shuaidong Huo*, and Lili Zong*
ACS Catal. 2023, 13, 24, 15708–15714. (DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c03812) (2023-11-21)

18. Hydrogen-Bond-Enhanced Halogen Bonding Organocatalyst with C(sp3)−Br and Sulfoxide Moieties
Yuheng Zhang, Haimeng Zhu, Boyuan Zhang, Huijuan Yang, Choon-Hong Tan, Chao Wang,* Jin Wen,* and Lili Zong*
ACS Catal. 2023, 13, 10, 7103–7109. (DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c01131) (2023-05-10)

16. Monocationic Cinchoninium Catalyzed Asymmetric Oxohydroxylation of Enoates.
Shuangqing Li#, Shuangshuang Wang#, Juan Li, Yue Qi, Chao Wang*, Lili Zong*, and Choon-Hong Tan*
ACS Catal. 2021, 11(24), 15141−15148. (2021-12-06)

13.Cell‐Penetrating Dynamic‐Covalent Benzopolysulfane Networks.
Cheng, Y.; Zong, L.; López‐Andarias, J.; Bartolami, E.; Okamoto, Y.; Ward, T. R.; Sakai, N.; Matile, S.*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58(28), 9622-9626. (2019-06-06)

10. Phase-Transfer and Ion-Pairing Catalysis of Pentanidiums and Bisguanidiniums.
Zong, L.; Tan, C. H.*
Acc. Chem. Res. 2017, 50(4), 842-856. (2017-04-05)

9. Epidithiodiketopiperazines: Strain-Promoted Thiol-Mediated Cellular Uptake at the Highest Tension.
Zong, L.#; Bartolami, E.#; Abegg, D.; Adibekian, A.; Sakai, N.; Matile, S.*
ACS Central. Sci. 2017, 3(5), 449-453. (2017-04-06)

8. Bisguanidinium Dinuclear Oxodiperoxomolybdosulfate Ion Pair-catalyzed Enantioselective Sulfoxidation.
Zong, L.; Wang, C.; Moeljadi, A. M.; Ye, X.; Ganguly, R.; Li, Y.; Hirao, H.*; Tan, C. H.*
Nat. Commun. 2016, 7, 13455. (2016-11-21)

5. Enantioselective Synthesis of Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters: Addition of 3-Substituted Oxindoles to Vinyl Sulfone Catalyzed by Pentanidiums.
Zong, L.; Du, S. B.; Chin, K. F.; Wang, C.; Tan, C. H.*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54(32), 9390-9393. (2015-07-15)

4. Enantioselective Oxidation of Alkenes with Potassium Permanganate Catalyzed by Chiral Dicationic Bisguanidinium
Wang, C.*; Zong, L.; Tan, C. H.*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137(33), 10677-10682. (2015-08-03)

3. Catalytic Enantioselective Alkylation of Sulfenate Anions to Chiral Heterocyclic Sulfoxides Using Halogenated Pentanidium Salts.
Zong, L.; Ban, X.; Kee, C. W.*; Tan, C. H.*
Angew. Chem. Int. Edit. 2014, 53(44), 11849-11853. (2014-09-10)