Catalytic asymmetric Henry reactions of silyl nitronates with aldehydes

A catalytic enantioselective Henry reaction of silyl nitronates with aldehydes has been developed. Different chiral Lewis acids have been tested for the reaction and it has been found that a variety of chiral copper-ligand complexes can catalyze the Henry reaction. The best yield, diastereo- and enantioselectivity of the nitroalcohols formed are obtained by the application of a copper(II)-diphenyl-bisoxazoline complex as the catalyst in the presence of tetrabutylammonium triphenylsilyldifluorosilicate (TBAT). In order to minimize the epimerization of the nitroaldol products they were converted into the corresponding Mosher esters. The reaction proceeds well for different aromatic aldehydes reacting with alkyl nitronates.