An improved diaminomethylenemalononitrile organocatalyst, bearing a N,N‐disubstituted structure, promoted enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of α‐branched aldehydes with vinyl sulfone, affording adducts with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee). Mechanistic studies revealed that the diaminomethylenemalononitrile motif holds the vinyl sulfone substrate using a single hydrogen bond accompanied by multiple weak interactions, including electrostatic C−H⋅⋅⋅O interactions.
A novel N,N‐dibenzyl diaminomethylenemalononitrile organocatalyst efficiently promoted asymmetric Henry reactions of trifluoromethyl enones with nitromethane, affording corresponding highly functionalized products in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 90% ee). This study is the first to report the successful example of the asymmetric 1,2‐additions of nitromethane to trifluoromethyl enones.
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