Novel chiral ammonium ionic liquids as efficient organocatalysts for asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroolefins

Two chiral ammonium ionic liquids 1a and 1b have been newly synthesized from commercially available (+)-cis-2-benzamidocyclohexanecarboxylic acid. These CILs have been demonstrated to be efficient organocatalysts for asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroolefins with excellent yields (up to 99%), high enantioselectivities (up to 90%) and modest to high diastereoselectivities (syn/anti ratio up to 99/1).