1. Dr. Xiaohong Chen
845 W. Taylor Street, Room 4500  Chicago, IL 60607 (Note: I will move to California after June)
312-479-3832  chenxh82@uic.edu Green Card Holder (no sponsorship needed)
Laboratory Scientist
Experienced scientist with extensive academic research and experiment design and execution in organic
and analytical chemistry. Strong ability to manage laboratory accounts, inventory, and safety.
Demonstrated skills in training and teaching university students. Expertise in synthetic/wet
chemistry/novel methodologies development. Well-versed in organic synthesis. Published author of
numerous international peer-reviewed works. Background in presenting findings to conference
attendees.
Core Competencies
Lab Management  Chromatography  Biotage  Kinetic Study Mechanism  Enzyme Purification 
Modern Chemical instrumentation  NMR  HPLC  GC/GC-MS  UV-Vis  LC-MS  IR  XRD  Multiple-
Step Synthesis  Total synthesis Novel Methodologies  Heterocyclic Compound Synthesis 
Asymmetric Catalysis  Trouble Shooting  Scale-up  ChemDraw  ChemWindow  Scifinder  Microsoft
Office  Scientific Writing  Peptide Synthesis and Purification
Skills
 Extensive experience in multi-step organic synthesis including reaction design, execution, and
development of workup, isolation, and crystallization procedures
 Experience applying spectroscopic methods (NMR, LC-MS, IR, etc) for structure determination
and utilizing various analytical techniques (HPLC, NMR, GC, etc.) for quantitative data collection.
 Strong ability to design synthetic route and handle multiple-step synthesis for bioactive natural
products and drug candidates
 Possess strong trouble shooting skills demonstrated in the areas of organic synthesis,
methodology development and drug design. In-depth knowledge of organic chemistry, reaction
mechanisms, and familiarity with modern synthetic and analytical methods and techniques.
 Experienced in methodology development and synthetic protocol optimization during scale-up.
Extensive experience working independently as well as in a team oriented environment across
multiple disciplines.
 Work hard and efficiently all the time. Be happy to face the challenge and enjoy solving the
difficult problems independently.
 Excellent at high throughput chemistry and developing multiple projects simultaneously
independently.
 Experience in peptide synthesis
 Motivated, creative, hands-on laboratory scientists with the ability to interact effectively with
team members
 Demonstrate leadership and problem solving skills in the lab with colleagues.
 Proficient with software programs such as MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), SciFinder,
Reaxys
 Fluent oral and written communication in both English and Mandarin Chinese.
 Excellent written and oral communication skills; enthusiasm, integrity, self motivation, and
ability to interact within a multi-disciplinary team
Research Experience
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 2010-2015
Visiting Research Assistant Professor 2015-Present (Advisor-Assistant Prof. Justin T. Mohr)
Postdoctoral Research Associate 2012-2015
 Lead chemist in a new organic chemistry lab; Designed and developed unique ways to generate
fully-conjugated dienolates and direct functionalization at the γ-position of vinylogous esters
with high yield and broad scope which accessed to differentiate haloresorcinols, γ-fluorination

2. XIAOHONG CHEN Resume, Page 2
with NFSI (collaborate with Prof. K. N. Houk, UCLA) and γ-amination with DIAD., applied to the
natural product synthesis of angiogenesis inhibitor Aeroplysinin-1, Aspergillusene B.
 Developed transition metal catalyzed -functionalization of enones via TBS dienolethers,
including Cu-catalyzed, Mn-mediated, Fe-catalyzed, Ni-catalyzed -Functionalization, my
research supervisor relied on this to apply for NSF and NIH funding.
 Initially developed the new method for protein labeling by fluorescent dyes enabled by Cu-
Catalyzed γ-Alkylation of Enones. Successfully applied γ-Alkylation to modify Phenylbutazone
(nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for the short-term treatment of pain and fever in
animals) and Chloramphenicol (antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial
infections).
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Advisor-Prof. Martin Newcomb), 2010-2012
Oversaw mechanistic studies of oxidation of long chain fatty acid by cytochrome P450 BM3 heme
domine Compound I.
 Compared oxidation reactions with m-CPBA and P450 under turnover conditions to discover
Compound I transient formed by two methods both oxidized 10-undecenoic acid to
corresponding epoxide with same rate constants.
SICHUAN UNIVERSITY, Chengdu, China, 2005-2010
Ph.D. Student
Developed valuable catalysts and methods in asymmetric synthesis of vital optical active amino acid
building blocks which are significant biological activity intermediates including inhibition of renin and
HIV protease.
 Successfully disclosed novel chiral ligands to achieve catalytic asymmetric Nitroaldol Reactions
of α-ketophosphonates, efficient synthesis of ring-fused tetrahydroquinoline deivatives, and
asymmetric synthesis of protected α,β-diamino acids.
 Proposed potential advantageous transition state to learn how catalysis affects reactivity and
enantioselectivity of reactions.
 Served as Organic Chemistry Laboratory Teaching Assistant, 2005-2006.
Education
Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, 2010
Thesis: "Studies on the catalytic asymmetric Henry reaction of alpha-ketophosphonates and direct Aldol
reaction between alpha-Isothiocyanato Imide with aldehydes."
Bachelor of Science, Analytical Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, 2005
Thesis: “A new vapor generation technique coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry method was
applied to determine mercury in methanol aqueous solutions.”
Publications
1) Chen, X.; Liu, X.; Mohr, J. T. “Regioselective Fluorination of Dienolates: Application of Secondary
Fluorides as Remarkable Distal Stereocontrol Elements” Manuscript in Preparation.
2) Chen, X.; Liu, X.; Mohr, J. T. “Cu-Catalyzed γ-Alkylation of Enones with α-Halocarbonyls: A Novel
Synthesis of 1,6-Dicarbonyl Compounds” Manuscript in Preparation.
3) Chen, X.; Liu, X., Martinez; J. S., Mohr, J. T. “Practical Regioselective Halogenation of Vinylogous
Esters: Synthesis of Differentiated mono-Haloresorcinols and Polyhalogenated Resorcinols”
Tetrahedron Young Investigator Award Symposium-in-Print: Neil Garg, Tetrahedron, 2016, 72,
accepted.
4) Chen, X.; Liu, X.; Mohr, J. T. “γ-Amination of Dienolates with Azodicarboxylates” Org. Lett., 2016,
18, ASAP.
5) Liu, X.; Chen, X.; Mohr, J. T. “Cascade Mn-mediated γ-Alkylation/oxa-Michael Addition of Enones
with 1,3-Dicarbonyls” Chemistry - A European Journal 2015, 22, 2274.
6) Liu, X.; Chen, X.; Mohr, J. T. “Copper-Catalyzed γ-Sulfonylation of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl
Compounds by Means of Silyl Dienol Ethers” Org. Lett. 2015, 17, 3572-3575.
7) Chen, X.; Martinez, J. S.; Mohr, J. T. “Regiodivergent Halogenation of Vinylogous Esters: One-Pot,
Transition Metal-Free Access to Differentiated Haloresorcinols" Org. Lett. 2015, 17, 378–381.
8) Chen, X. H.; Newcomb, M. "Oxidation of 10-undecenoic acid by cytochrome P450BM-3 and its
Compound I transient" Org. Biomol. Chem. 2011, 9, 7427-7433.

3. XIAOHONG CHEN Resume, Page 3
9) Su, Z.; Chen, X. H.; Newcomb, M. "Rate-Controlling Isomerization in Fatty Acid Oxidations by a
Cytochrome P450 Conpound I" Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 18, 2472-2476.
10)Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "A Secondary Amine Amide Organocatalyst for the Asymmetric Nitroaldol
Reaction of α-Ketophosphonates" Chem. Eur. J. 2008, 14, 10896 –10899.
11)Jiang, J.; Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Chiral biphenylamide derivative: an efficient organocatalyst for
the enantioselective synthesis of α-hydroxy phosphonates" Org. Biomol. Chem. 2009, 7, 4355–
4357.
12)Dong, Z. H.; Wang, L. J.; Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Organocatalytic Enantioselective Michael
Addition of 4-Hydroxycoumarin to α,β-Unsaturated Ketones: A Simple Synthesis of Warfarin" Eur. J.
Org. Chem. 2009, 5192–5197.
13)Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Efficient Synthesis of b-Hydroxy-a-Amino Acid Derivatives via Direct
Catalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of α-Isothiocyanato Imide with Aldehydes" Chem. Eur. J. 2010,
16, 10124–10129.
14)Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Guanidine Organocatalyst for Asymmetric Mannich-Type Reaction
between α-Isothiocyanato Imide and Sulfonyl Imines" Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 2583-2586.
15)Xie, M. S.; Chen, X. H; Feng, X. M. "Asymmetric Three-Component Inverse Electron-Demand Aza-
Diels–Alder Reaction: Efficient Synthesis of Ring-Fused Tetrahydroquinolines" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
2010, 49, 3799-3802.
16)Zhu, Y.; Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Asymmetric Diels–Alder and Inverse-Electron-Demand Hetero-
Diels–Alder Reactions of β,ɣ-Unsaturated α-Keto with Cyclopentadiene Catalyzed by N,N’-Dioxide
Copper(II) Complex" Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 11963–11968.
17)Huang, J. L.; Wang, J.; Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Highly Enantioselective Allylation of Aromatic ɑ-
Keto Phosphonates Catalyzed by Chiral N,N-Dioxide-Indium(III)Complexes” Adv. Synth. Catal.
2008, 350, 287–294.
18)Dong, S. X.; Liu, X. H.; Chen, X. H.; Feng, X. M. "Chiral Bisguanidine-Catalyzed Inverse-Electron-
Demand Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction of Chalcones with Azlactones" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132,
10650–10651.
Poster Presentations
“Regioselective Functionalization of Vinylogous Esters via Dienolates: γ-Selective C–Heteroatom Bond
Formation” 44th National Organic Symposium, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 2015;
and 6th Chicago Organic Symposium, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 2015
“Regioselective Fluorination of Dienolates: Application of Secondary Fluorides as Remarkable Distal
Stereocontrol Elements” 32nd annual H.C. Brown Lectures, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2015
“Regioselective Halogenation of Vinylogous Esters: One-Step, Transition Metal-free Access to
Differentiated Haloresorcinols,” 31st annual H.C. Brown Lectures, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
IN, 2014
Reference
Prof. Justin T. Mohr
Department of Chemistry,
845 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7061
Office Tel: (312)-355-0242
E-mail: jtmohr@uic.edu
Prof. Martin Newcomb
Department of Chemistry
845 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7061
Telephone: 312-413-2106
E-mail: men@uic.edu
Prof. Xiaoming Feng
Department of Chemistry
Sichuan University
Chengdu, China, 610064
Tel: (+86) 28-8541-8249
Email: xmfeng@scu.edu.cn
Prof. Duncan J. Wardrop
Department of Chemistry,
845 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7061
Office Tel: (312)-355-1035
E-mail: wardropd@uic.edu