Generation of Five Stereocenters in an Organocatalytic Cascade Reaction

Significance

The generation of five stereocenters in one tandem reaction yielding optically active cyclohexanes is reported. In this cascade reaction, an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde is activated towards the Michael addition of a 1,3-bisnitro­alkane by a chiral pyrrolidine. After hydrolysis of the intermediate enamine, the reaction sequence is completed by a Henry reaction to give cyclo­hexanes with good enantioselectivities and relatively high diastereoselectivities.