Bronsted-acid-catalyzed activation of nitroalkanes: A direct enantioselective aza-Henry reaction

A direct asymmetric organocatalytic aza-Henry reaction has been developed in which a new bifuctional Bronsted-acid-catalyzed activation of nitroalkanes provides an efficient access to alpha,beta-diamino acids with high dia- and enantioselectivities under mild and base-free reaction conditions.