Nitroaldol (Henry) reaction of 2-oxoaldehydes with nitroalkanes as a strategic step for a useful, one-pot synthesis of 1,2-diketones

The nitroaldol (Henry) reaction of 2-oxoaldehydes with a variety of nitroalkanes, under basic heterogeneous conditions and microwave irradiation, affords 1,2-diketones in a one-pot way. The key step of the process involves the nitrous acid elimination from the nitroalkanol intermediates instead of the standard water elimination.