Enantio- and Diastereoselective Nitro-Mannich Reaction of α-Aryl Nitromethanes with Amidosulfones Catalyzed by Phase-Transfer Catalysts.

A high-yield, highly diastereo- and enantioselective nitro-Mannich reaction of α-aryl nitromethanes with amidosulfones catalyzed by a novel chiral phase-transfer catalyst, bearing multiple H-bonding donors, derived from quinine was developed. A variety of α-aryl nitromethanes and amidosulfones were investigated; and the corresponding products were obtained in excellent yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, > 99:1 dr and >99% ee). As a demonstration of synthetic utility, the resulting β-nitroamines could be converted to corresponding meso-symmetric and optically pure unsymmetric anti-1,2-diarylethylenediamines.