General Route for Preparing β‑Nitrocarbonyl Compounds Using Copper Thermal Redox Catalysis

Using
a simple copper catalyst, the alkylation of nitroalkanes
with α-bromocarbonyls is now possible. This method provides
a general, functional group tolerant route to β-nitrocarbonyl
compounds, including nitro amides, esters, ketones, and aldehydes.
The highly sterically dense, functional group rich products from these
reactions can be readily elaborated into a range of complex nitrogen-containing
molecules, including highly substituted β-amino acids.

借助简便的铜催化剂，现已可实现硝基烷烃（nitroalkanes）与α-溴代羰基化合物（α-bromocarbonyls）的烷基化反应。该方法提供了一条普适性强、官能团兼容性优异的合成路径，可用于制备各类β-硝基羰基化合物（β-nitrocarbonyl compounds），涵盖硝基酰胺、酯类、酮类与醛类。此类反应得到的空间位阻较高、官能团丰富的产物，可便捷地衍生得到一系列复杂含氮分子，包括高度取代的β-氨基酸（β-amino acids）。