Highly enantioselective conjugate addition of fluoromalonates to nitroalkenes using bifunctional organocatalysts

The enantioselective conjugate addition of fluoromalonates to aromatic nitroalkenes catalyzed by chiral amine-thiourea bifunctional organocatalysts generated a stereocenter at the carbon bearing the aromatic group and an adjacent prochiral center from the fluoromalonate. Treatment of fluoromalonates with aromatic nitroalkenes under mild reaction conditions afforded the corresponding 2-fluoro-2-(2-nitro-1-arylethyl)malonates with high yields (72–93%) and excellent enantioselectivities (91–98% ee).