Highly Enantioselective Aza-Henry Reaction of <i>N</i>-Tosyl Imines Catalyzed by <i>N,N</i>‘-Dioxide−Cu(I) Complexes

Abstract

The N,N'-dioxide-Cu(I) complexes have been developed to catalyze the addition of nitromethane to N-tosyl aldimines. The aza-Henry reaction proceeds smoothly affording the corresponding nitro amines in good yields with high enantioselectivities. A catalytic cycle is proposed to explain the origin of reactivity.