Peer-reviewed publications (#equal contribution; *correspondence)

41. Vinylogous Anionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Vinylidenecyclopropanes with Native C−H Bonds as the Dormant Species. Shuai Tang#, Xuhui Liang#, Yuan Li#, Yang-Yang Li, Gen Luo*, Jinming Hu*, and Dian-Feng Chen*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 7196–7202.

  

40. Monomer Design Enables Mechanistic Mapping of Anionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Aromatic Thionolactones. Shaoqiu Zheng#, Shu-SenChen#, Yang-Yang Li, Minjian Liao, Xuhui Liang, Ke Li, Xiaopeng Li, Jinming Hu*, and Dian-Feng Chen*. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, e202500581.

39. Organocatalyzed photoredox radical cyclopolymerization of methacrylate- and acrylamide-crotonate hybrid monomers. Gaoyuan Yu#, Yong-Le Tian#, and Dian-Feng Chen*. Polym. Chem. 2025, Advance Article, doi.org/10.1039/D4PY01369G.

38. Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of N-(Malonyloxy)phthalimide-Functionalized Vinylcyclopropane: Tuning Material Property via Selective Decarboxylation. Si-Qi Li and Dian-Feng Chen*. Chin. J. Chem. 2025, 43, 53–60. (Invited contribution to Special Collections "Emerging Investigators in 2024")

37. Vinylogous Fluorine Stabilizing Effect Enables Rational Design of a Novel Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropane and Its Applications in [3+2] Cycloaddition Reaction and Ring-Opening Polymerization. Yue Li and Dian-Feng Chen*. Chin. J. Chem. 2024, 42, 2723–2727. (Invited contribution to Special Collections "Emerging Investigators in 2024")

36. Visible light-driven organocatalyzed radical ring-opening polymerization of Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes. Ke Li#, Yue Shen#, and Dian-Feng Chen*. Polymer 2024, 308, 127331. (Invited contribution to the special issue "Recent Advances in Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization (rROP)"Edited by Julien Nicolas, Yohann Guillaneuf)

35. Leveraging Electron Push-Pull Effect for Catalytic Polymerization and Degradation of a Cyclobutane Monomer System. Teng Xie#, Shu-Sen Chen#, Yang-Yang Li, and Dian-Feng Chen*. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202405408.

34. Photocatalytic Release of Bioactive Agents for Therapeutic Applications. Shaoqiu Zheng#, Kewu He#, Dianfeng Chen*, and Jinming Hu*. ChemCatChem 2024, 16, e202301194.

33. Organo–metal cooperative catalysis for C(sp3)–H alkylation polymerization. Yang-Yang Li, Teng Xie, Ling Zhu, Shao-Qiu Zheng, Dian-Feng Chen*, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Nat. Synth. 2023, 2, 1232–1242. (Highlighted by Synfact)

32. Feng chiral N,N′-dioxide ligands: uniqueness and impacts. Dian-Feng Chen and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Org. Chem. Front. 2023, 10, 3676–3683.

31. 乙烯基环丙烷自由基开环聚合研究进展. 张东阳，陈殿峰*. 功能高分子学报 2023, 36, 261–274. (中国科大高分子系建系65周年专辑)

30. Expanding monomer scope and enabling post-modification in photocontrolled radical ring-opening polymerization of vinylcyclopropanes by an iodine transfer strategy. Dong-Yang Zhang,# Dong Han,# and Dian-Feng Chen*. Polym. Chem. 2022, 13, 5691–5699. (Front Cover Art) 

29. Organo/Transition-Metal Combined Catalysis Rejuvenates Both in Asymmetric Synthesis. Dian-Feng Chen and Liu-Zhu Gong*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 2415–2437.

28. Access to chiral homoallylic vicinal diols from carbonyl allylation of aldehydes with allyl ethers via palladium-catalyzed allylic C-H borylation. Tian-Ci Wang, Pu-Sheng Wang, Dian-Feng Chen, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Sci. China Chem. 2021, 65, 298–303.

27. Chiral Indoline-2-carboxylic Acid Enables Highly Enantioselective Catellani-type Annulation with 4-(bromomethyl)cyclohexanone. Xin-Meng Chen, Ling Zhu, Dian-Feng Chen, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Angew. Chem. lnt. Ed. 2021, 60, 24844-24848. 

Supervised work————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

26. Organocatalyzed Photoredox Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of Functionalized Vinylcyclopropanes. Dian-Feng Chen, Simone Bernsten, and Garret M. Miyake*. Macromolecules 2020, 53, 8352–8359.

25. Organocatalyzed Birch Reduction Driven by Visible Light. Justin P. Cole,# Dian-Feng Chen,# Max Kudisch, Ryan M. Pearson, Chern-Hooi Lim, and Garret M. Miyake*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 13573–13581.

24. Bromine Radical Catalysis by Energy Transfer Photosensitization. Dian-Feng Chen, Cameron H. Chrisman, and Garret M. Miyake*. ACS Catal. 2020, 10, 2609–2614.

23. Recent Progress in Asymmetric Relay Catalysis of Metal Complex with Chiral Phosphoric Acid. Pu-Sheng Wang, Dian-Feng Chen, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Topics in Current Chemistry, 2020, 378: 9.

22. Controlling Polymer Composition in Organocatalyzed Photoredox Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of Vinylcyclopropanes. Dian-Feng Chen, Bret M. Boyle, Blaine G. McCarthy, Chern-Hooi Lim, and Garret M. Miyake*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 13268–13277.

21. Directed γ-C(sp3)-H Alkylation of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives through Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis. Dian-Feng Chen, John C. K. Chu, and Tomislav Rovis*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 14897–14900. 

20. Recent progress in organocatalytic asymmetric total syntheses of complex indole alkaloids. Jin Song, Dian-Feng Chen, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Nat. Sci. Rev. 2017, 4, 381–396.

19. N-Heterocyclic Carbene and Chiral Bronsted Acid Cooperative Catalysis for a Highly Enantioselective [4+2] Annulation. Dian-Feng Chen and Tomislav Rovis*. Synthesis 2017, 49, 294–298.

18. Chiral Bronsted acid catalyzed intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of styrenes with indoles: construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. Ming-Li Li, Dian-Feng Chen, Shi-Wei Luo, and Xiang Wu*. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2015, 26, 219–224.

17. Synthesis of Polycyclic Amines through Mild Metal-Free Tandem Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling/Intramolecular Hydroarylation of N-Aryltetrahydroisoquinolines and Crotonaldehyde. Xiang Wu,* Dian-Feng Chen, Shu-Sen Chen, and Yi-Fan Zhu. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2015, 468–473.

16. Catalytic Quinine-catalyzed highly enantioselective cycloannulation of o-quinone methides with malononitrile. Alafate Adili, Zhong-Lin Tao, Dian-Feng Chen, and Zhi-Yong Han*. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2015, 13, 2247-2250.

15. Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of quaternary 3,3'-indolyloxindoles by combination of Rh(I) complexes and chiral phosphines. Dian-Feng Chen, Chen-long Zhang, Yue Hu, Zhi-Yong Han, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Org. Chem. Front. 2015, 2, 956–960.

14. Organocatalytic Highly Enantioselective Substitution of 3-(1-Tosylalkyl)indoles with Oxindoles Enables the First Total Synthesis of(+)-Trigolutes B. Jian-Zhou Huang, Chen-Long Zhang, Yi-Fan Zhu, Lu-Lu Li, Dian-Feng Chen, Zhi-Yong Han, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 8389–8393.

13. Enantioselecive  Construction of [6,5,6]-Carbocyclic Systems by Organo/Metal-Catalyzed Sequential Reactions. Xiang Wu,* Ming-Li Li, Dian-Feng Chen, and Shu-Sen Chen. J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 4743–4750.

12. Catalytic Catalytic enantioselective C(sp3)-H functionalization: intramolecular benzylic [1,5]-hydride shift. Jie Yu,* Nan Li, Dian-Feng Chen, and Shi-Wei Luo*. Tetrahedron Letters 2014, 55, 2859–2864.

11. C–H Functionalization/Asymmetric Michael Addition Cascade Enabled by Relay Catalysis: Metal Carbenoid used for C–C Bond Formation. Dian-Feng Chen, Feng Zhao, Yue Hu, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Angew. Chem. lnt. Ed. 2014, 53,10763–10767.

10. Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral nitrogenous heterocycles and natural products. Jie Yu, Ya Zhou, Dian-Feng Chen, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Pure Appl. Chem. 2014, 86, 7, 1217–1226

9. Asymmetric Organocatalysis Combined with Metal Catalysis: Concept,Proof of Concept, and Beyond. Dian-Feng Chen, Zhi-Yong Han, Xiao-Le Zhou, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Acc. Chem. Res. 2014, 47, 2365–2377.

8. Relay Catalytic Cascade Hydrosiloxylation and Asymmetric Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction. Nan Li, Dian-Feng Chen, Pu-Sheng Wang, Zhi-Yong Han, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Synthesis 2014, 46, 1355–1361.

7. Rhodium/Chiral urea relay catalysis enables an enantioselective semipinacol rearrangement/michael addition cascade. Dian-Feng Chen, Pei-Yu Wu, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 3958–3961.

6. Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of Pyrazol-5-ones with Allylic Alcohols: The Role ofthe Chiral Phosphoric Acid in C-O Bond Cleavage and Stereocontrol. Zhong-Lin Tao,# Wen-Quan Zhang,# Dian-Feng Chen, Arafate Adele, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 9255–9258.

5. Cascade Hydroamination/Redox Reaction for the Synthesis of Cyclic Aminals Catalyzed by a Combined Gold Complex and Brgnsted Acid. Yu-Ping He, Hua Wu, Dian-Feng Chen, Jie Yu, and Liu-Zhu Gong*. Chem. Eur. J. 2013, 19, 5232–5237.

4. Metal-Free Oxidation/C(sp3)H Functionalization of Unactivated Alkynes Using Pyridine-N-Oxide as the External Oxidant. Dian-Feng Chen, Zhi-Yong Han, Yu-Ping He, Jie Yu, Liu-Zhu Gong*. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 12307–12310.

3. Hybrid Metal/Organo Relay Catalysis Enables Enynes To Be Latent Dienes for Asymmetric Diels-Alder Reaction. Zhi-Yong Han, Dian-Feng Chen, Ya-Yi Wang, Liu-Zhu Gong*. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 6532–6535.

2. Enantioselective concomitant creation of vicinal quaternary stereogenic centers via cyclization of alkynols triggered addition of azlactones. Zhi-Yong Han, Rui Guo, Pu-Sheng Wang, Dian-Feng Chen, Han Xiao, Liu-Zhu Gong*. Tetrahedron Letters 2011, 52, 5963–5967.

1. α-Pyrones and Diketopiperazine Derivatives from the Marine-Derived Actinomycete Nocardiopsis dassonvillei HR10-5. Peng Fu, Peipei Liu, Haijun Qu, Yi Wang, Dianfeng Chen, Hui Wang, Jing Li, and Weiming Zhu*. J. Nat. Prod. 2011, 74, 2219–2223.