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Kwangmin Shin

Sungkyunkwan University · Chemistry

About the Lab

Professor Kwangmin Shin's research lab specializes in the development of transition-metal-catalyzed C–H activation and functionalization methodologies, with a focus on selective and sustainable C–N and C–C bond formation. The lab pioneers innovative strategies using nitrogen-based reagents such as azides, diazonium salts, and acyl azides to enable direct functionalization of inert C–H bonds under mild conditions. Key advancements include rhodium- and iridium-catalyzed C–H amination and arylation, as well as electrocatalytic approaches for heterocycle synthesis, demonstrating high regioselectivity and functional group tolerance. The work emphasizes mechanistic understanding through experimental and DFT studies, driving the design of efficient, oxidant-free catalytic systems for complex molecule synthesis.

C–H activationC–N bond formationazide chemistrytransition-metal catalysiselectrocatalysis

Research Overview

Papers
59
Total Citations
3,709
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)
290total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|940 citations·2015
Transition-Metal-Catalyzed C–N Bond Forming Reactions Using Organic Azides as the Nitrogen Source: A Journey for the Mild and Versatile C–H Amination
Kwangmin Shin, Hyunwoo Kim, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Accounts of Chemical Research

Owing to the prevalence of nitrogen-containing compounds in functional materials, natural products and important pharmaceutical agents, chemists have actively searched for the development of efficient and selective methodologies allowing for the facile construction of carbon-nitrogen bonds. While metal-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling reactions have been established as one of the most general protocols for C-N bond formation, these methods require starting materials equipped with functional groups s

Organic ChemistryChemistry
2
Article|200 citations·2013
Direct CH Amination of Arenes with Alkyl Azides under Rhodium Catalysis
Kwangmin Shin, Yunjung Baek, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Angewandte Chemie International Edition

New horizons in the utility of azides: The rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular direct CH amination of arenes with alkyl azides provides a convenient route to N-alkyl anilines (see scheme; DG=directing group). Alkyl azides with a wide range of functional groups reacted readily with various substrates, including benzamides, aromatic ketones, and flavones. As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer reviewed an

Organic ChemistryChemistry
3
Article|156 citations·2017
Iridium-catalysed arylation of C–H bonds enabled by oxidatively induced reductive elimination
Kwangmin Shin, Yoonsu Park, Mu‐Hyun Baik, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Nature Chemistry
Organic ChemistryChemistry
4
Article|134 citations·2015
Cp*Ir(III)-Catalyzed Mild and Broad C−H Arylation of Arenes and Alkenes with Aryldiazonium Salts Leading to the External Oxidant-Free Approach
Kwangmin Shin, Sungwoo Park, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical Society

Reported herein is the development of Cp*Ir(III)-catalyzed direct C-H arylation of arenes and alkenes using aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates, the use of which as an aryl precursor and also as an oxidant via C-N2 bond cleavage was a key to success in achieving a mild and external oxidant-free procedure. Mechanistic experiments and DFT calculations revealed the turnover-limiting step to be closely related to the formation of an Ir(V)-aryl intermediate rather than the presupposed C-H cleavage. Unde

Organic ChemistryChemistry
5
Article|103 citations·2014
Iridium(III)-Catalyzed Direct C-7 Amination of Indolines with Organic Azides
Kwangmin Shin, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q2The Journal of Organic Chemistry

Iridium-catalyzed regioselective C-7 amination of indolines has been achieved with organic azides as a facile nitrogen source. The developed procedure is convenient to perform even at room temperature and applicable to a wide range of substrates with high catalytic activity. Various types of organic azides (sulfonyl, aryl, and alkyl derivatives) were all successfully reacted under the present conditions as the viable reactant. Furthermore, indoline substrates bearing easily removable N-protectin

Organic ChemistryChemistry
6
Article|99 citations·2023
Electrocatalytic Access to Azetidines via Intramolecular Allylic Hydroamination: Scrutinizing Key Oxidation Steps through Electrochemical Kinetic Analysis
Steve Park, Geunsu Bae, Ahhyeon Choi, Suyeon Shin, Kwangmin Shin, Chang Hyuck Choi, Hyunwoo Kim
SJR Q1Journal of the American Chemical Society

Azetidines are prominent structural scaffolds in bioactive molecules, medicinal chemistry, and ligand design for transition metals. However, state-of-the-art methods cannot be applied to intramolecular hydroamination of allylic amine derivatives despite their underlying potential as one of the most prevalent synthetic precursors to azetidines. Herein, we report an electrocatalytic method for intramolecular hydroamination of allylic sulfonamides to access azetidines for the first time. The merger

Organic ChemistryChemistry
7
Article|99 citations·2014
Orthogonal Reactivity of Acyl Azides in C–H Activation: Dichotomy between C–C and C–N Amidations Based on Catalyst Systems
Kwangmin Shin, Jaeyune Ryu, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Organic Letters

The dual reactivity of acyl azides was utilized successfully in C-H activation by the choice of catalyst systems: while selective C-C amidation was achieved under thermal Rh catalysis, a Ru catalyst was found to mediate direct C-N amidation also highly selectively. Investigations of the mechanistic dichotomy between two catalytic systems are also presented.

Organic ChemistryChemistry
8
Article|77 citations·2022
Electrocatalytic Radical-Polar Crossover Hydroetherification of Alkenes with Phenols
Steve Park, Jieun Jang, Kwangmin Shin, Hyunwoo Kim
SJR Q1ACS Catalysis

We disclose a general electrocatalytic hydroetherification for modular synthesis of alkyl aryl ethers by utilizing a wide range of alkenes and phenols. The integration of the two involves an electrochemically instigated cobalt-hydride-catalyzed radical-polar crossover of alkenes that enable the generation of key cationic intermediates, which could readily be entrapped by challenging nucleophilic phenols. We highlight the importance of precise control of the reaction potential by electrochemistry

Organic ChemistryChemistry
9
Article|57 citations·2013
Direct CH Amination of Arenes with Alkyl Azides under Rhodium Catalysis
Kwangmin Shin, Yunjung Baek, Sukbok Chang
Angewandte Chemie

Neue Horizonte für Azide: Die Rhodium-katalysierte intermolekulare direkte C-H-Aminierung von Arenen mit Alkylaziden bietet eine bequeme Route zu N-Alkylanilinen (siehe Schema; DG=dirigierende Gruppe). Alkylazide mit verschiedensten funktionellen Gruppen reagierten bereitwillig mit diversen Substraten wie Benzamiden, aromatischen Ketonen und Flavonen.

Organic ChemistryChemistry
10
Article|19 citations·2017
Selective Synthesis of Silacycles by Borane‐Catalyzed Domino Hydrosilylation of Proximal Unsaturated Bonds: Tunable Approach to 1,n‐Diols
Kwangmin Shin, Seewon Joung, Youyoung Kim, Sukbok Chang
SJR Q1Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis

Abstract The tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron‐catalyzed domino hydrosilylation of substrates carrying unsaturated functionalities in a proximal arrangement is presented to produce silacycles. Excellent levels of efficiency and selectivity were achieved in the cyclization by the deliberate choice of the hydrosilane reagents. The key to successful cyclic hydrosilylation is the reactivity enhancement of the second intramolecular hydrosilylation by a proximity effect. Not only dienes but also enones, en

Organic ChemistryChemistry
11
Article|18 citations·2022
Palladium-Catalyzed Electrooxidative Hydrofluorination of Aryl-Substituted Alkenes with a Nucleophilic Fluorine Source
Anup Mandal, Jieun Jang, Baeho Yang, Hyunwoo Kim, Kwangmin Shin
SJR Q1Organic Letters

Herein, we report an electrocatalytic hydrofluorination of aryl-substituted alkenes with a nucleophilic fluorine source. The merger of palladium catalysis with electrooxidation enables the transformation of various substrates ranging from styrenes to more challenging α,β-unsaturated carbonyl derivatives to the corresponding benzylic fluorides. This method can also be applied to the late-stage modification of pharmaceutical derivatives. Mechanistic studies suggest that the generation of a high-va

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
12
Article|13 citations·2022
Exogenous Ligand-Free NiH-Catalyzed Hydroacylation of Aryl Alkenes with Aroyl Fluorides
Jihye Kim, Jieun Jang, Yoonho Lee, Kwangmin Shin
SJR Q1Organic Letters

Acyl fluorides have emerged as efficient acyl group donors, but these attractive reagents have rarely been utilized in transition-metal-catalyzed hydroacylation. Herein we report a nickel hydride-catalyzed hydroacylation of aryl alkenes using aroyl fluorides. The reaction proceeds without recourse to an exogenous ligand under mild conditions. The synthetic utility of the present method is demonstrated by the glovebox-free, gram-scale reaction and the late-stage derivatization of complex molecule

Organic ChemistryChemistry
13
Article|10 citations·2024
Catalytic Synthesis of Carbonyl Compounds Using Acyl Fluorides, Carbamoyl Fluorides, and Fluoroformates: An Overview
Yujin Jung, Yoonho Lee, Kwangmin Shin
SJR Q2Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry

Abstract Acyl fluorides, carbamoyl fluorides and fluoroformates have been employed as efficient reagents in a number of organic syntheses. Their application in catalytic transformations, however, began to be explored in the early 2000s. Recently, these reagents have increasingly gained attention owing to their unique reactivity in diverse catalytic systems. This review aims to overview the advancements in the development of catalytic processes, including transition‐metal catalysis, organocatalys

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
14
Article|5 citations·2024
Electrooxidative Pd-Catalyzed Remote Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes with Nucleophiles
Seungdae Park, Baeho Yang, Do‐Hyun Lee, Hyunwoo Kim, Kwangmin Shin
SJR Q1ACS Catalysis

The catalytic hydrofunctionalization of alkenes with nucleophiles via the generation of carbocationic intermediates has been extensively studied as an efficient strategy for the regioselective installation of functional groups on alkene feedstocks. However, since the established methods are confined to functionalization of the position where the alkene is originally located, it is highly desirable to develop a broadly applicable catalytic hydrofunctionalization platform that offers an alternativ

Organic ChemistryChemistry
15
Article|2 citations·2025
PdH-Electrocatalytic Formal Conjugate Fluorination of β-Aryl-α,β-Unsaturated Amides with Mild and Safe Nucleophilic Fluorine Sources
Baeho Yang, D. B. Lee, Kwangmin Shin
SJR Q2The Journal of Organic Chemistry

An electrooxidative palladium-hydride catalytic system has been developed for the hydrofluorination of β-aryl-α,β-unsaturated amides using various nucleophilic fluorine sources, including Me 4 NF, Me 4 NF· t AmylOH, n Bu 4 NF·( t BuOH) 4, CsF, and KF. By avoiding hazardous HF-based reagents, this electrocatalytic protocol offers a safer and more practical route for the formal conjugate addition of fluoride to β-aryl-α,β-unsaturated amides, enabling access to β-fluoroamides. The method exhibits b

Pharmaceutical SciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics

Research Areas

Organic ChemistryMaterials ChemistryPharmaceutical ScienceInorganic Chemistry

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