Isosteric expansion of the structural diversity of chiral ligands: Design and application of proline-based N,N′-dioxide ligands for copper-catalyzed enantioselective Henry reactions

Abstract

Chiral N,N′-dioxide catalysts were designed based on isosteric approach. Using l-Proline as the starting material, a variety of chiral N,N′-dioxide ligands were obtained via conventional functional group transformations and were utilized in asymmetric Henry reactions between nitromethane and aromatic aldehydes. Using the N,N′-dioxide-copper(II) complexes as the catalysts, asymmetric Henry reaction produced the corresponding β-nitroalcohols in up to 66% yields and up to 83% ee's under mild conditions. The reactions were easy to carry out, and special care such as air or moisture-free conditions was not required.