Cobalt-catalyzed stereodivergent semi-hydrogenation of internal alkynes to alkenes is developed. The reaction proceeded through transfer hydrogenation under mild conditions using a base metal CoI₂ as the catalyst, and H₂O/MeOH as the hydrogen source with Zn as the reductant. The E/Z-selectivity of the product could be switched by changing the solvent and by inclusion/exclusion of a bidentate phosphine ligand (dppe). This method provides a simple and cost effective pathway for the synthesis of 1,2-dideuterioalkenes.

Magnolol is a lignan with anti-inflammatory activity identified in Magnolia officinalis. Ulcerative colitis (UC), one of the types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the colon. To investigate the effect of magnolol in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental UC model, male C57 mice were treated with 2% DSS drinking water for 5 consecutive days followed by intragastric administration with magnolol (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg) daily for 7 days. The results showed that magnolol significantly attenuated disease activity index, inhibited colonic shortening, reduced colonic lesions and suppressed myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Moreover, colonic pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) induced by colitis were dramatically decreased by magnolol. To further unveil the metabolic signatures upon magnolol treatment, mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analysis of the small molecular metabolites in mice serum were performed. Compared with controls, abnormality of serum metabolic phenotypes in DSS-treated mice were effectively reversed by different doses of magnolol. In particular, magnolol treatment effectively elevated the serum levels of tryptophan metabolites including kynurenic acid (KA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, indoleacetic acid (IAA), indolelactic acid and indoxylsulfuric acid, which are potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligands to impact colitis. These findings suggest that magnolol exerts anti-inflammatory effect on DSS-induced colitis and its underlying mechanisms are associated with the restoring of tryptophan metabolites that inhibit the colonic inflammation.

Oxabenzonorbornadienes were found to be suitable substrates for asymmetric hydroalkynylation reactions. Catalyzed by the complex of [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ and (R)-SYNPHOS, oxabenzonorbornadienes and terminal alkynes could react smoothly to give the alkynylated products in moderate to good yields (up to 93% yield) and enantioselectivities (up to 85% ee).