Highly enantioselective Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes catalyzed by designer chiral BINOL–quinine–squaramide: efficient access to optically active nitro-alkanes and their isoxazole derivatives

A chiral BINOL–quinine–squaramide has been identified as the best catalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition of nitroalkenes to 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. A series of chiral nitroalkanes were prepared with approximately >99% ee. Furthermore, the methodology was applied successfully to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure isoxazoles derivatives (>99% ee).

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