Asymmetric N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed addition of enals to nitroalkenes: controlling stereochemistry via the homoenolate reactivity pathway to access δ-lactams.

An asymmetric intermolecular reaction between enals and nitroalkenes to yield δ-nitroesters has been developed, catalyzed by a novel chiral N-heterocyclic carbene. Key to this work was the development of a catalyst that favors the δ-nitroester pathway over the established Stetter pathway. The reaction proceeds in high stereoselectivity and affords the previously unreported syn diastereomer. We also report an operationally facile two-step, one-pot procedure for the synthesis of δ-lactams.