Peter Zhang

X. Peter Zhang (Xiao-Xiang Peter Zhang) is an organic chemist and professor of chemistry at Boston College. His research focuses on stereoselective organic synthesis, radical chemistry, and catalysis, including the development of metalloradical catalysis using cobalt and iron complexes.

Education and career Zhang received a B.S. from Anhui Normal University in 1985 and an M.S. from Beijing Normal University in 1988. He earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 under the supervision of Bradford B. Wayland.

After completing his doctorate, Zhang held postdoctoral appointments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, first with Stephen J. Lippard from 1996 to 1999 and then with Stephen L. Buchwald from 1999 to 2001. Asymmetric radical transformations of alkenes. Zhang's laboratory has applied cobalt-based metalloradical catalysis to stereoselective alkene functionalization, including cyclopropanation and aziridination. C–H functionalization and C–N bond formation. Zhang's group has reported metalloradical methods for C–H functionalization, including asymmetric C–H alkylation through 1,4-hydrogen atom abstraction, intermolecular radical C–H amination, and allylic C–H amination. Other reported applications from the group include radical and radical/ionic approaches to β-functionalized amines and radical dearomative conjugate amination.

Awards and honors

ORAU Ralph Powe Junior Faculty Award, 2003 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, 2027