Faculty
Dr. Chun-Yu Ho received his Ph.D. in 2005 under the supervision of Prof. Dan Yang in The University of Hong Kong for organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation. After pursing post-doctoral research during 2005-07 with Prof. Timothy F. Jamison in MIT for transition metal catalysis, he started his independent career at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) as a Research Assistant Professor at the end of 2007. Now he is Associate Professor in South University of Science and Technology of China (SUSTech) in 2013 and Honorary AP of CUHK. He is the recipient of The Croucher Foundation Fellowship of Hong Kong, Asian Core Program Lectureship Award from both Japan in 2010 and Singapore in 2011, recognized as Overseas High-Caliber Personnel from Shenzhen in 2013, and awarded ACS Excellence in Science Symposium: The Journal of Organic Chemistry and Organic Letters Best Poster in 2013.
(I) Awards/Recognitions Received:
2005-07 The Croucher Foundation Fellowship Award
2010-11 The Asian Core Program Lectureship Award (from Japan)
2011-12 The Asian Core Program Lectureship Award (from Singapore)
2012 Publication honored in RSC Chem. Commun. 2012 Emerging Investigator Issue
2012 One of the three invited oversea lecturers in 3rd Symposium of Molecular Activation
Directed toward Straightforward Synthesis, at Hanamaki, Iwate (MEXT, Japan)
2012 Adjunct AP at South University of Science and Technology of China
2013 Adjunct AP at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2013 Editorial Member of Natural Products Chemistry & Research Journal
2013 Recognized as Overseas High-Caliber Personnel (Peacock Program Awardee from
Shenzhen Government) 深圳市孔雀計(jì)劃 B 類人員
2013 Presentation in ISORM, a Celebration in Honor of Grubbs, Houk, Schleyer & Truhlar
2013 ACS Excellence in Science Symposium: The Journal of Organic Chemistry and Organic
Letters Best Poster Award
2014 Invited Contribution in Synlett Special Issue:
Catalysis with Sustainable Metals (1 of 18 papers)
2014 Invited Contribution in J. Org. Chem. Special Issue:
Mechanisms in Metal-Based Organic Chemistry (1 of 37 papers from 14 countries)
2015 Paper recognized as very important paper in the area of N-Heterocyclic Carbene (VIP)
and Front Cover Story in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
(II) Research Interest:
Develop novel, practical, green and energy efficient methods for:
1. Organic chemical library synthesis;
2. Sustainable organic/hybrid materials preparations and applications;
3. Phosphonylation and cyanation to access important biological compounds and their
subsequent SAR studies.
(III) Representative Publications in Recent Years:
A/ US Non-Provisional Patent granted or filed (As the sole inventor):
1. Ho, C.-Y. US8354554B2 “Process for Preparing Organometalloids”
2. Ho, C.-Y. US8383873B2 “Terminal 1,1-Disubstituted Olefin, Methods of Making & Using
Thereof”
3. Ho, C.-Y. US regular patent filed, application number: 13/415304, title remains confidential
4. Ho, C.-Y. PCT filed, application number: PCT/CN2014/082861, “Process for Preparing
Branched Allyl Compounds”
5. Ho, C.-Y. PCT filed, application number: PCT/CN2015/071187, title remains confidential
B/ Invited Review (As corresponding author):
1. “NHC-Ni-H Reactions with Simple Olefins: Advances in Hydroalkenylation, Polymerization, and
Ionic Liquid Synthesis.”
Ho, C.-Y.*; He, L.; Chan, C.-W. Synlett 2011, SynPacts issue, 1649.
2. “Catalytic Addition of Simple Alkenes to Carbonyl Compounds Using Group 10 Metals”
Ho, C.-Y.*; Schleicher, K. D.; Chan, C.-W.; Jamison, T. F.* Synlett 2009, 2565.
C/ Book Chapter:
1. “NHC-Ni Hydride Catalyzed Terminal Disubstituted Alkene Synthesis”
Ho, C.-Y.*; He, L. ISBN 978-3-8465-0051-4, 88pgs.
2. “Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry” Global Edition
D/ Paper (Since 2005):
a/ Catalysis having C-C Bond Formation
1. “Catalytic Asymmetric Hydroalkenylation of Vinylarenes: Electronic Effects of Substrates and
Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands”
Ho, C.-Y.*; Chan, C.-W.; He, L. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 4512.
Highlighted thrice:
Featured as Front Cover & VIP (Very Important Paper),
in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54 (15), 4403.
in ChemCatChem 2015, 7, 1639 by Prof. Gerhard Hilt &
in X-Mol on 2015-04-17
2. “Substituted 1,3-cyclohexadiene synthesis by NHC-Nickel(0) catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of
1,n-Enyne”
Zhao, J.-P.; Chan, S.-C.; Ho, C.-Y.* Tetrahedron 2015, 71, 4426.
Invited Special Symposium-in-Print: Progress in organic synthesis: New reactions,
strategies and targets.
3. “Medium-Sized Heterocycle Synthesis by the Use of Synergistic Effects of Ni-NHC and γ?
Coordination in Cycloisomerization.”
Ho, C.-Y.*; He, L. J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 11873.
Invited Special Issue:
(1 of 37 from over 14 countries)
Highlighted twice:
SynFacts 2014, 10, 913 (by Prof. V. Snieckus)
Organic Chemistry Highlights, 2015, (by Prof. D. F. Taber)
“C-O Ring Construction”.
4. “Nitrate-Enhanced NHC-NiH Catalyzed Tail-to-Tail Vinyl Ether Dimerization.”
He, L.; Ho, C.-Y.* Synlett 2014, 25, 2738.
Invited Special Issue: Catalysis with Sustainable Metals. (1 of 18 papers)
5. “Shuffle off the Classic β-Si Elimination by Ni-NHC Cooperation:
Implication for C-C Forming Reactions Involving Ni-Alkyl-β-Silanes.”
Ho, C.-Y.*; He, L. Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 1481.
Honored in Emerging Investigator Issue (1 of 71 papers in the year)
Has been recommended on PubMed advanced by Novo Nordisk?
6. “Catalytic Intermolecular Tail-to-Tail Hydroalkenylation of Styrenes with alpha Olefins:
Regioselective Migratory Insertion Controlled by a Nickel/N-Heterocyclic Carbene.”
Ho, C.-Y.*; He, L. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 9182.
Highlighted thrice:
SynForm 2011, issue 2, A15-16 & as Cover (by Prof. M. Zanda);
SynFacts 2011, issue 3, 310 (by Prof. P. Knochel);
Organic Chemistry Highlights, 2011 (by Prof. D. F. Taber)
“Functionalization & Homologation of Alkenes”.
7. “Cyanative Alkene-Aldehyde Coupling: Ni(0)-NHC-Et2AlCN Mediated Chromanols Synthesis
with High cis-Selectivity at room temperature.”
Ho, C.-Y.* Chem. Commun. 2010, 46, 466.
8. “Nitrile assisted, Bronsted acid catalyzed regio and stereoselective diarylphosphonylation of allyl
silyl ethers.”
Ho, C.-Y.*; Chan, C.-W.; Wo, S.-K.; Zuo, Z.; Chan, L.-Y. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2010, 8, 3480.
9. “Alpha Olefins as Alkenylmetal Equivalents in Catalytic Conjugate Addition Reactions.”
Ho, C.-Y.; Ohmiya, H.; Jamison, T. F.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 1893.
10. “Highly Selective Coupling of Alkenes and Aldehydes Catalyzed by NHC–Ni–P(OPh)3: Synergy
Between a Strong σ-Donor and a Strong π-Acceptor.”( Hot Paper)
Ho, C.-Y.; Jamison, T. F.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 782.
11. “Nickel-Catalyzed Coupling of Alkenes, Aldehydes, and Silyl Triflates.”
Ng, S.-S.; Ho, C.-Y.; Jamison, T. F.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 11513.
12. “Nickel-Catalyzed, Carbonyl-Ene-Type Reactions: Selective for Alpha Olefins and More Efficient
with Electron-Rich Aldehydes.”
Ho, C.-Y.; Ng, S.-S.; Jamison, T. F.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 5326.
b/ Catalysis having C-Heteroatom Bond Formation
1. “Highly Chemoselective Reductive Amination of Carbonyl Compounds Promoted by
InCl3/Et3SiH/MeOH System.”
Lee, O.-Y.; Law, K.-L.; Ho, C.-Y.; Yang, D.* J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 8829.
2. “Fluorinated Chiral Secondary Amines as Catalysts for Epoxidation of Olefins with Oxone.”
Ho, C.-Y.; Chen, Y.-C.; Wong, M.-K.; Yang, D.* J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70, 898.
c/ Collaborative Pharmaceutical Research Papers Published:
1. "Synthesis, biological activity, and biopharmaceutical characterization of tacrine dimers as
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors."
Qian, S.; He, L.; Mak, M.; Han, Y.; Ho, C.-Y.*; Zuo, Z.* Int. J. Pharmaceutics, 2014, 477, 442.
2. "In Vitro Anti-acetylcholinesterase Activities and Permeabilities of Novel Potential
Anti-Alzheimer's Agents".
Qian, S.; Mak, M.; He, L.; Ho, C.-Y.*; Han, Y.*; Zuo, Z.*
Paper presented in the 9th International ISSX Meeting, organized by International Society for the
Study of Xenobiotics, 1 pgs. Istanbul, Turkey, 2010.09.04.
3. "Structure-activity and structure-permeability relationships of novel anti-Alzheimer’s agents
tacrine dimers".
Qian, S.; He, L.; Mak, M.; Ho, C.-Y.*; Han, Y.*; Zuo, Z.* Paper presented in the 2011 AAPS
Annual Meeting and Exposition, organized by The American Association of Pharmaceutical
Scientists, 1 pgs. Washington, DC, USA, 2011.10.26.
4. "Development of LC/MS/MS method for determination of a novel tacrine dimer HLS-3 in rat
plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic study".
Qian, S.; He, L.; Wo, S-K.; Mak, M.; Han, Y.*; Ho, C-Y.*; Zuo, Z.* Paper presented in the
2012 AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition, organized by The American Association of
Pharmaceutical Scientists, USA, 2012.10.14.
(IV) Professional Services:
* Serve as reviewer of the following journals:
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Chemistry An Asian Journal
Chemistry An European Journal
Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS)
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
Organic Letters
Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
RSC Advance
Synthesis
Synlett
* Serve as an Editorial member of the Journal below:
Natural Products Chemistry & Research Journal
(V) Graduate Students Training
Awards the Trained Graduate Students Received in our Group:
* 1 Asian Core Program (ACP), Junior Workshop on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia
Poster Award (2010).
* 1 Hong Kong Graduate Symposium Poster Award (Organic Chemistry Section).
Awarded by Hong Kong Graduate Symposium Committee (2011)
* 1 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship. Awarded by UGC (2011)
* 1 Student awarded Madam Wong Siew Khoon Scholarship, nominated by the Science Faculty
Scholarship Committee as CUHK representative (2012).
* 1 Student awarded Faculty of Science Postgraduate Student Research Output Award (2012, one
Award in each year).