Unveiling Reliable Catalysts for the Asymmetric Nitroaldol (Henry) Reaction

摘要

The addition reaction between nitro-alkanes and carbonyl compounds to yield a nitroalcohol,namely the nitroaldol or Henry reaction,has long been known. It constitutes a powerful C-C bond-forming process in organic chemistry,providing efficient access to valuable functionalized structural motifs such as 1,2-amino alcohols and a-hydroxy carboxylic acids.Because the reaction is so well known,it is conceivable that significant efforts may have been devoted over the years to implement asymmetric versions of the Henry reaction.Surprisingly no significant success has been achieved until the last few of years.