Henry reaction of fluorinated nitro compounds

The Henry (nitroaldol) reaction of fluorinated nitro compounds with various aromatic aldehydes and a fluorinated aliphatic aldehyde to give β-fluoro-β-nitroalcohols which bearing a fluorinated quaternary carbon center was reported. The relative configuration of the major diastereoisomer of 2-fluoro-2-nitro-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-3-phenylpropanol (5bf) was determined by X-ray single crystal analysis.