RESEARCH INTERESTS: Asymmetric catalysis; photocatalysis; radical chemistry
EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC CAREER:
2021.9-present Professor, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
2018.4-2021.8 Associate Professor, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
2015.9-2018.2 Postdoctor, Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (with Prof. Choon-Hong Tan)
2010.9-2015.6 Ph.D., College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, China (with Prof. Xiaoming Feng)
2006.9-2010.6 B.Sc., College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, China
HONORS AND AWARDS:
2024 Outstanding Report Award of the National Organic Radical Chemistry Conference
2024 Wiley China Excellent Author Program
2021 High-Level Talents Introduction Plan of Sichuan (Young Talents Program)
2021 The Young Scientific and Technological Academic Leaders Training Program of Sichuan University
2019 Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology) from the Ministry of Education (First class, China)
EDITORIAL BOARDS:
Editorial Board Member of Organics; Early Career Editorial Board Member of Acta Chimica Sinica and Molecules.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
1.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu,* Xiaoming Feng,* Asymmetric Catalytic Radical Reactions Enabled by Chiral N,N′‑Dioxide−Metal Complexes. Acc. Chem. Res. 2025, 58, 2496−2510. (Most Read Article)
2.Xiaofan Chen, Yuqiao Zhou, Ming Yang, Yuntian Yang, Xiaoming Feng,* Weidi Cao,* Merging Photocatalysis with Chiral Lewis Acid Catalysis for Enantioselective Hydrosilylation/Hydrogermylation of Electron-Deficient Alkenes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202504676. (Cover paper)
3.Mingyi Jiang, Zengcheng Yu, Linhan Yang, Fei Wang, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu,* Xiaoming Feng,* Reductant-Free Enantioselective Aza-Reformatsky Reaction Enabled by Synergistic Visible Light Photocatalysis and Lewis Acid Catalysis, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202500756. (Cover paper)
4.Liangkun Yang,† Lichao Ning,† Han Yu, Shiyang Li, Ming Yang, Linhan Yang, Fei Wang, Xiaohua Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Photocycloaddition of Triplet Aldehydes with Benzocyclobutenones. CCS Chem. 2025, 7, 573–581.
5.Qiuhui Cao, Yuntian Yang, Yiwen Mei, Minghui Ji, Fei Wang, Xiaoming Feng,* Weidi Cao,* Catalytic Asymmetric Construction of 1,5-Remote Si- and C Stereocenters via Desymmetrizing Ene Reaction of Bis(methallyl)silanes. Chem. Sci. 2025, 16, 8454−8459.
6.Hansen Zhao, Xi Lu, Liangkun Yang, Sile Li, Xiaoming Feng,* Weidi Cao,* Photoinduced Asymmetric [4 + 2] Cycloaddition of Benzocyclobutenones with Ketones into 3,4-Dihydroisocoumarins. Org. Lett. 2025, 27, 8656−8661.
7.Han Yu,† Zun Yang,† Hongda Wu, Yao Luo, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu,* Xiaoming Feng,* Visible Light-Promoted Enantioselective Catalytic Alkylation of α-Ketoamides with Hydrocarbons. ChemCatChem 2025, 17, e202402112.
8.Liuzhen Hou, Longqing Yang, Xiaohua Liu,* Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Visible-Light-Induced Enantioselective Dearomative [2+2]-Cycloaddition/Ring-Expansion Sequence of Indoles with Simple Alkenes. Synlett 2025, 36, 944−948.
9.Liuzhen Hou,† Longqing Yang,† Gaofei Yang, Zhe Luo, Wanlong Xiao, Linhan Yang, Fei Wang, Liu-Zhu Gong, Xiaohua Liu,* Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Dearomative [2 + 2] Photocycloaddition/Ring-Expansion Sequence of Indoles with Diversified Alkenes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 23457–23466. (Cover paper, highlighted by Synlett)
10.Liangkun Yang,† Shiyang Li,† Lichao Ning, Hansen Zhao, Liang Zhou, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Aza-[4+2]-Cycloaddition of Benzocyclobutenones into Isoquinolinone Derivatives Enabled by Photoinduced Regio-Specific C–C Bond Cleavage. Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 10866.
11.Yao Luo, Yuqiao Zhou, Fengnan Xiao, Xin He, Ziwei Zhong, Qi-Lin Zhou, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu,* Xiaoming Feng,* Quinone-Initiated Photocatalytic Enantioselective Giese Radical Addition with Ethers, Thioethers, Amines and Alkanes. ACS Catal. 2024, 14, 12031−12041.
12.Liuzhen Hou, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Applications of Organosilanes in Visible Light-induced Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions. ChemCatChem 2024, 16, e202400385. (Invited review collected in the issue of ChineseCatChem)
13.Lili Feng, Xiaofan Chen, Ning Guo, Yuqiao Zhou, Lili Lin, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Visible-Light-Induced Chemo-, Diastereo- and Enantioselective α-C(sp3)−H Functionalization of Alkyl Silanes. Chem. Sci. 2023, 14, 4516−4522.
14.Xinpeng Sang, Yuhao Mo, Shiya Li, Xiaohua Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Bimetallic Tandem Catalysis-Enabled Enantioselective Cycloisomerization/Carbonyl–ene Reaction for Construction of 5-Oxazoylmethyl a-Silyl Alcohol. Chem. Sci. 2023, 14, 8315−8320.
15.Ning Guo, Yao Luo, Lili Feng, Zhili Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Radical Conjugate Addition of Acylsilane Enabled by Synergistic Photoredox and Lewis Acid Catalysis. Asian J. Org. Chem. 2023, 12, e202300164.
16.Qianchi Lin, Siyuan Wang, Rui Weng, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Chiral Lewis Acid-Catalyzed Asymmetric Multicomponent Michael Reaction through [1,2]-Phospha-Brook Rearrangement. Org. Lett. 2023, 25, 6262−6266.
17.Wanlong Xiao, Fang Li, Xiaohua Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially and Centrally Chiral 1,2-Dihydrobenzofuro[3,2-b]pyridines through a [2+2] Cycloaddition/Retroelectrocyclization/Re-Cycloaddition Cascade. Org. Lett. 2023, 25, 8005–8009.
18.Fengcai Zhang, Yuqiao Zhou, Hansen Zhao, Long Chen, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of Exocyclic Enol Ethers for the Synthesis of Spiroketals. Precis. Chem. 2023, 1, 423–428.
19.Liuzhen Hou, Xiaohua Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Recent Advances in Visible Light-induced Asymmetric Transformations of Carbonyl Compounds into Chiral Alcohols. ChemCatChem 2023, 15, e202300893.
20.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu,* Recent Advances on Catalytic Enantioselective Protonation for Construction of α-Tertiary Carbonyl Compounds. Chin. J. Org. Chem. 2023, 43, 961–973.
21.Liuzhen Hou, Yuqiao Zhou, Han Yu, Tangyu Zhan, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Enantioselective Radical Addition to Ketones through Lewis Acid-Enabled Photoredox Catalysis. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 22140−22149. (Most Read Article, highlighted by Synfacts)
22.Guihua Pan, Changli He, Min Chen, Qian Xiong, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Synthesis of Dihydroisoquinoline and Dihydropyridine Derivatives via Asymmetric Dearomative Three-component Reaction. CCS Chem. 2022, 4, 2000−2008.
23.Liangkun Yang, Wang-Yuren Li, Liuzhen Hou, Tangyu Zhan, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng,* NickelⅡ-catalyzed Asymmetric Photoenolization/Mannich Reaction of (2-Alkylphenyl) Ketones. Chem. Sci. 2022, 13, 8576–8582.
24.Fengcai Zhang, Xinpeng Sang, Yuqiao Zhou, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Enantioselective Synthesis of Azetidines through [3 + 1]-Cycloaddition of Donor−Acceptor Aziridines with Isocyanides. Org. Lett. 2022, 24, 1513−1517. (Highlighted by Org. Chem. Highlights)
25.Changqiang He, Zhikun Wu, Yuqiao Zhou, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Asymmetric Catalytic Nitrooxylation and Azidation of β-Keto Amides/esters with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents. Org. Chem. Front. 2022, 9, 703−708.
26.Li Dai, Wen Liu, Yuqiao Zhou, Zi Zeng, Xinyue Hu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Halogenation/Semipinacol Rearrangement of 3-Hydroxyl-3-vinyl Oxindoles: A Stereodivergent Kinetic Resolution Process. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 26599–26603.
27.Mingming Guan, Shiyu Wang, Yao Luo, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Addition of Thiols to Silyl Glyoxylates for Synthesis of Multi-hetero-atom Substituted Carbon Stereocenter. Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 7498–7503.
28.Mingyi Jiang, Kaiqi Hu, Yuqiao Zhou, Qian Xiong, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Enantioselective Isocyanide-based Multicomponent Reaction with Alkylidene Malonates and Phenols. Org. Lett. 2021, 23, 5261–5265.
29.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu,* Asymmetric Formal Hetero-Ene Reaction of Allylgold Intermediates. Chin. J. Org. Chem. 2021, 41, 857−858.
30.Ziwei Zhong, Zhijie Xiao, Xiaohua Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of 3,2'-Pyrrolinyl Spirooxindoles via Conjugate Addition/Schmidt-type Rearrangement of Vinyl Azides and (E)-Alkenyloxindoles. Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 11492−11497.
31.Liuzhen Hou, Tengfei Kang, Liangkun Yang, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Enantioselective Imino-Ene Reaction of N-Sulfonyl Ketimines with Silyl Enol Ethers: Access to Chiral Benzosultams. Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 1390−1395.
32.Yu Zhang, Hao Pan, Wen Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,*Asymmetric Catalytic Synthesis of Epoxides via Three-Component Reaction of Diazoacetates, 2‑Oxo-3-ynoates, and Nitrosoarenes. Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 6744−6749.
33.Xiangqiang Li, Mingyi Jiang, Tangyu Zhan, Weidi Cao,* Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Three-component Hydroacyloxylation/1,4-Conjugate Addition of Ynamides. Chem Asian J. 2020, 15, 1953−1956.
34.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng,* Chiral N,Nʹ-dioxide and Their Metal Complexes in Asymmetric Catalysis (in Chinese). Chin. Sci. Bull. 2020, 65, 2941−2951.
35.Bin Shen, Wen Liu, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng,* Asymmetric Synthesis of α,β-Epoxy-γ-lactams through Tandem Darzens/Hemiaminalization Reaction. Org. Lett. 2019, 21, 4713−4716.
36.Yan Wang, Kaixuan Wang, Weidi Cao,* Xiaohua Liu, Xiaoming Feng,* Diastereo- and Enantioselective 1,6-Conjugate Addition of 2‑Azaarylacetamides to para-Quinone Methides. Org. Lett. 2019, 21, 6063−6067.
37.Weidi Cao, Xiaoming Feng, Xiaohua Liu,* Reversal of Enantioselectivity in Chiral Metal Complex-catalyzed Asymmetric Reactions. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2019, 17, 6538−6550.
38.Wen Liu, Weidi Cao,* Haipeng Hu, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng,* Dynamic Kinetic Asymmetric Transformations of β-Halo-α-Keto Esters by N,N′-Dioxide/Ni(II)-Catalyzed Carbonyl-Ene Reaction. Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 8901−8904. (Highlighted by Synfacts)
39.Hang Zhang, Qian Yao, Weidi Cao,* Shulin Ge, Jinxiu Xu, Xiaohua Liu and Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Enantioselective Ene-type Reactions of Vinylogous Hydrazone: Construction of α-Methylene-g-butyrolactone Derivatives. Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 12511–12514.
40.Lifeng Wang, Weidi Cao,* Hongjiang Mei, Linfeng Hu, Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Spiro-Cyclopropyl Oxindoles from 3-Alkenyl-Oxindoles and Sulfoxonium Ylides. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2018, 360, 4089-4093. (VIP)
41.Changqiang He, Weidi Cao,* Jianlin Zhang, Shulin Ge, Xiaoming Feng,* Chirall N,N'-Dioxide/Scandium(III)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Alkylation of N-Unprotected 3-Substituted Oxindoles. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2018, 360, 4301-4305. (Highlighted by Synfacts)
42.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu,* Xiaoming Feng, Chiral Organobases: Properties and Applications in Asymmetric Catalysis. Chin. Chem. Lett. 2018, 29, 1201−1208.
43.Weidi Cao, Davin Tan, Richmond Lee,* Choon-Hong Tan,* Enantioselective 1,2-Anionotropic Rearrangement of Acylsilane through a Bisguanidinium Silicate Ion Pair. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 1952−1955.
44.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu, Jing Guo, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng,* Asymmetric Tandem 1,5-Hydride Shift/Ring Closure for the Synthesis of Chiral Spirooxindole Tetrahydroquinolines. Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 1632−1636.
45.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu, Ruixue Peng, Peng He, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng,* Catalytic Asymmetric Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling: Activation of C–H Bonds by a Cooperative Bimetallic Catalyst System. Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 3470−3472.
46.Weidi Cao, Xiaohua Liu, Wentao Wang, Lili Lin, Xiaoming Feng,* Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydroquinolines via Cobalt(II)-Catalyzed Tandem 1,5-Hydride Transfer/Cyclization. Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 600−603. (Highlighted by Synfacts)
