Formation of Dihydronaphthalenes via Organocatalytic Enatioselective Michael–Aldol Cascade Reactions with Arylalkanes

An organocatalytic highly enantioselective Michael–aldol cascade access to valuable chiral dihydronaphthalenes has been realized. Notably, the strategy via activation of nucleophilic alkyl chains by introducing nitro, chloro, or CF3 group(s) at the ortho- and/or para-position(s) on an aromatic ring renders them readily deprotonated to produce highly reactive nulecophilic species in the cascade process under mild conditions.