Asymmetric nitroaldol reaction using nitromethane labeled with 11C

Nitro[11C]methane produced from [11C]O2 reacted with several aldehydes in the presence of chiral metal catalyst prepared from LaLi3{tris(binaphtoxide)}, n-BuLi, H2O, and (R)-binaphtol. The molar ratios of La, Li, and binaphtol for effective catalysis in the 11C-labeling were 1/4/4.5 and 1/4/6, respectively. The 11C-nitroaldol products were obtained in 3–25% radiochemical yields with 39–51% ee within 20 min starting from the preparation of nitro[11C]methane.