Organocatalytic Michael Addition of Unactivated α‑Branched Nitroalkanes to Afford Optically Active Tertiary Nitrocompounds

The direct, asymmetric conjugate addition of unactivated α-branched nitroalkanes is developed based on the combined use of chiral amine/ureidoaminal bifunctional catalysts and a tunable acrylate template to provide tertiary nitrocompounds in 55–80% isolated yields and high enantioselectivity (e.r. up to 96:4). Elaboration of the ketol moiety in thus obtained adducts allows a fast entry to not only carboxylic and aldehyde derivatives but also nitrile compounds and enantioenriched 5,5-disubstituted γ-lactams.