Chiral monometallic lanthanide(III) salt complexes are arrayed acid-base networks for enantioselective catalysis: a direct, nitroaldol (Henry) reaction

Shelf stable, but kinetically labile, highly symmetric, 3:1 complexes of 3,3′-bis-diethylaminomethyl-2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-dinaphthalene 1 ('binolam') with lanthanide(III) triflates are easily available compounds possessing an extended array of acid and base sites. The enantiopure lanthanum derivative is especially suited to catalyze the direct nitroaldol (Henry) reaction enantioselectively. Added non-aqueous base accelerates the reaction.