Highly enantioselective Michael addition of aldehy des to nitroolefins catalyzed by primary amine thiourea organocatalysts

Abstract

Asymmetric Michael addition reactions of aldehydes to nitroolefins have been successfully initiated by a series of primary amine thiourea bifunctional catalysts, with high enantioselectivities (90-98% ee) and excellent yields (80-96%).The privileged quinine scaffold was found to be essential to the reaction efficiency and enantioselectivity. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.All rights reserved.