A New Copper Acetate-Bis(oxazoline)-Catalyzed, Enantioselective Henry Reaction

A highly enantioselective, nitroaldol reaction catalyzed by a chiral Cu(II) bis(oxazoline) complex has been developed. The reaction scope includes both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes (15 examples) affording products in good yields and enantioselectivities (87−94% ee). An X-ray structure of the catalyst has been provided along with a rationalization of the sense of asymmetric induction.