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Hong Geun Lee

Seoul National University · Chemistry

About the Lab

Professor Hong Geun Lee's research lab specializes in the development of innovative transition-metal-catalyzed methodologies for selective C–X (X = F, CN, B, etc.) and C–N bond formations, with a strong emphasis on mechanism-driven reaction design. The lab focuses on challenging transformations involving sp³-hybridized carbon centers, heteroaryl substrates, and bioactive molecules, particularly in the context of late-stage functionalization and radiolabeling for pharmaceutical applications. Their work integrates electrochemical strategies, novel ligand design, and mild, selective conditions to enable efficient and sustainable synthesis.

C–H functionalizationpalladium catalysisradiolabelingelectrochemical synthesispeptide modification

Research Overview

Papers
74
Total Citations
1,491
Papers (5y)
16
Primary Field
Chemistry

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
16total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
160total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|176 citations·2014
Pd-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Fluorination of Aryl Bromides
Hong Geun Lee, Phillip J. Milner, Stephen L. Buchwald
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical SocietyOA

On the basis of mechanism-driven reaction design, a Pd-catalyzed nucleophilic fluorination of aryl bromides and iodides has been developed. The method exhibits a broad substrate scope, especially with respect to nitrogen-containing heteroaryl bromides, and proceeds with minimal formation of the corresponding reduction products. A facilitated ligand modification process was shown to be critical to the success of the reaction.

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
2
Article|152 citations·2013
An Improved Catalyst System for the Pd-Catalyzed Fluorination of (Hetero)Aryl Triflates
Hong Geun Lee, Phillip J. Milner, Stephen L. Buchwald
SJR Q1Organic LettersOA

The stable Pd(0) species [(1,5-cyclooctadiene)(L·Pd)2] (L = AdBrettPhos) has been prepared and successfully evaluated as a precatalyst for the fluorination of aryl triflates derived from biologically active and heteroaryl phenols, challenging substrates for our previously reported catalyst system. Additionally, this precatalyst activates at room temperature under neutral conditions, generates 1,5-cyclooctadiene as the only byproduct, and leads to overall cleaner reaction profiles.

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
3
Article|133 citations·2017
Palladium‐Mediated Arylation of Lysine in Unprotected Peptides
Hong Geun Lee, Guillaume Lautrette, Bradley L. Pentelute, Stephen L. Buchwald
SJR Q1Angewandte Chemie International EditionOA

A mild method for the arylation of lysine in an unprotected peptide is presented. In the presence of a preformed biarylphosphine-supported palladium(II)-aryl complex and a weak base, lysine amino groups underwent C-N bond formation at room temperature. The process generally exhibited high selectivity for lysine over other amino acids containing nucleophilic side chains and was applicable to the conjugation of a variety of organic compounds, including complex drug molecules, with an array of pept

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
4
Article|74 citations·2015
Virtually Instantaneous, Room-Temperature [11C]-Cyanation Using Biaryl Phosphine Pd(0) Complexes
Hong Geun Lee, Phillip J. Milner, Michael S. Placzek, Stephen L. Buchwald, Jacob M. Hooker
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical SocietyOA

A new radiosynthetic protocol for the preparation of [(11)C]aryl nitriles has been developed. This process is based on the direct reaction of in situ prepared L·Pd(Ar)X complexes (L = biaryl phosphine) with [(11)C]HCN. The strategy is operationally simple, exhibits a remarkably wide substrate scope with short reaction times, and demonstrates superior reactivity compared to previously reported systems. With this procedure, a variety of [(11)C]nitrile-containing pharmaceuticals were prepared with

Organic ChemistryChemistry
5
Article|46 citations·2022
A Unified Synthetic Strategy to Introduce Heteroatoms via Electrochemical Functionalization of Alkyl Organoboron Reagents
Su Yong Go, Hyunho Chung, Samuel Jaeho Shin, Sohee An, Ju Hyun Youn, Tae Yeong Im, Ji Yong Kim, Taek Dong Chung, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical Society

Based on systematic electrochemical analysis, an integrated synthetic platform of C(sp<sup>3</sup>)-based organoboron compounds was established for the introduction of heteroatoms. The electrochemically mediated bond-forming strategy was shown to be highly effective for the functionalization of sp<sup>3</sup>-hybridized carbon atoms with significant steric hindrance. Moreover, virtually all the nonmetallic heteroatoms could be utilized as reaction partners using one unified protocol. The observe

Organic ChemistryChemistry
6
Article|45 citations·2014
Structure and reactivity of [(L·Pd) ·(1,5-cyclooctadiene)] (n= 1–2) complexes bearing biaryl phosphine ligands
Hong Geun Lee, Phillip J. Milner, Michael T. Colvin, Loren B. Andreas, Stephen L. Buchwald
SJR Q3Inorganica Chimica ActaOA
Organic ChemistryChemistry
7
Article|42 citations·2010
Enantioselective Synthesis of the Lomaiviticin Aglycon Full Carbon Skeleton Reveals Remarkable Remote Substituent Effects during the Dimerization Event
Hong Geun Lee, Jae Young Ahn, Amy S. Lee, Matthew D. Shair
SJR Q1Chemistry - A European Journal

A full carbon skeleton of the natural product lomaiviticin has been synthesized. The approach features anionic annulation reactions to deliver A and B rings of the natural product, and stereoselective oxidative enolate coupling to form the central C2C2′ σ bond. In the course of the investigation, a remarkable substituent effect at C11 position was observed. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not cop

PharmacologyMedicine
8
Article|41 citations·2017
Palladium‐Mediated Arylation of Lysine in Unprotected Peptides
Hong Geun Lee, Guillaume Lautrette, Bradley L. Pentelute, Stephen L. Buchwald
Angewandte Chemie

Abstract A mild method for the arylation of lysine in an unprotected peptide is presented. In the presence of a preformed biarylphosphine‐supported palladium(II)–aryl complex and a weak base, lysine amino groups underwent C−N bond formation at room temperature. The process generally exhibited high selectivity for lysine over other amino acids containing nucleophilic side chains and was applicable to the conjugation of a variety of organic compounds, including complex drug molecules, with an arra

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
9
Article|37 citations·2024
Halogen Atom Transfer-Induced Homolysis of C–F Bonds by the Excited-State Boryl Radical
Jangwoo Koo, Weonjeong Kim, Byung Hak Jhun, Subin Park, Dayoon Song, Youngmin You, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical Society

A novel reactivity toward C–F bond functionalization has been developed, which could be designated as fluorine atom transfer (FAT). A photoexcited state of an N -heterocyclic carbene-ligated boryl radical exhibits a transcendent reactivity, capable of activating chemically inert carbon–fluorine bonds through homolysis. Combined experimental and computational studies suggest that the ligated boryl radical species directly abstracts a fluorine atom from the organofluoride substrates to provide val

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
10
Article|34 citations·2023
Stereospecific Acylative Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling: General Access to Optically Active α-Aryl Carbonyl Compounds
Byeongdo Roh, Abdikani Omar Farah, Beomsu Kim, Taisiia Feoktistova, Finn Moeller, Kyeong Do Kim, Paul Ha‐Yeon Cheong, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical Society

A novel strategy for the stereospecific Pd-catalyzed acylative cross-coupling of enantiomerically enriched alkylboron compounds has been developed. The protocol features an extremely high level of enantiospecificity to allow facile access to synthetically challenging and valuable chiral ketones and carboxylic acid derivatives. The use of a sterically encumbered and electron-rich phosphine ligand proved to be crucial for the success of the reaction. Furthermore, on the basis of experimental and c

Organic ChemistryChemistry
11
Article|30 citations·2021
Benzylic C(sp3)–C(sp2) cross-coupling of indoles enabled by oxidative radical generation and nickel catalysis
Weonjeong Kim, Jangwoo Koo, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Chemical ScienceOA

)-based reaction counterparts. Mechanistic studies have shown that competitive hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) processes, which are frequently encountered in conventional methods, are not involved in the product formation process of the developed strategy.

Organic ChemistryChemistry
12
Article|23 citations·2021
Restoration of catalytic activity by the preservation of ligand structure: Cu-catalysed asymmetric conjugate addition with 1,1-diborylmethane
Changhee Kim, Byeongdo Roh, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Chemical ScienceOA

Reported herein is a novel reaction engineering protocol to enhance the efficiency of a transition metal-catalysed process by strategically preventing ligand degradation. Based on spectroscopic investigations, a decomposition pathway of a chiral phosphoramidite ligand during a Cu-catalysed reaction was identified. The involvement of the destructive process could be minimized under the modified reaction conditions that control the amount of nucleophilic alkoxide base, which is the origin of ligan

Organic ChemistryChemistry
13
Article|19 citations·2021
Modular Counter-Fischer–Indole Synthesis through Radical-Enolate Coupling
Hyunho Chung, Jeongyun Kim, Gisela A. González‐Montiel, Paul Ha‐Yeon Cheong, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Organic Letters

A single-electron transfer mediated modular indole formation reaction from a 2-iodoaniline derivative and a ketone has been developed. This transition-metal-free reaction shows a broad substrate scope and unconventional regioselectivity trends. Moreover, important functional groups for further transformation are tolerated under the reaction conditions. Density functional theory studies reveal that the reaction proceeds by metal coordination, which converts a disfavored 5-<i>endo-trig</i> cycliza

Organic ChemistryChemistry
14
Article|8 citations·2023
Mechanistic duality of indolyl 1,3-heteroatom transposition
Yujin Lee, Yun Seung Nam, Soo Young Kim, Jeong Eun Ki, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q1Chemical ScienceOA

-hydroxyindole derivatives. A series of in-depth mechanistic investigations suggests that two separate mechanisms are operating simultaneously. Moreover, the relative contribution of each mechanistic pathway, the energy barrier for each pathway, and the identity of the primary pathway were shown to be the functions of the electronic properties of the substrate system. Based on the mechanistic understanding obtained, a mechanism-driven strategy for the general and efficient introduction of a hete

Organic ChemistryChemistry
15
Article|7 citations·2021
Formation of the Tertiary Sulfonamide C(sp3)–N Bond Using Alkyl Boronic Ester via Intramolecular and Intermolecular Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative Cross-Coupling
Dong Sun Kim, Hong Geun Lee
SJR Q2The Journal of Organic Chemistry

A synthetic strategy for the formation of C(sp<sup>3</sup>)-N bonds, particularly through a copper-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling, is rare. Herein, we report a novel synthetic approach for the preparation of tertiary sulfonamides via copper-catalyzed intra- and intermolecular oxidative C(sp<sup>3</sup>)-N cross-coupling reactions. This method allows the utilization of the readily available C(sp<sup>3</sup>)-based pinacol boronate as a substrate and the tolerance of a wide range of functional

Organic ChemistryChemistry

Research Areas

Organic ChemistryPharmaceutical ScienceMaterials ChemistryMolecular BiologyElectrochemistryPharmacology

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