New sugar-derived bifunctional chiral ureas as highly effective organocatalysts in asymmetric aza-Henry reaction.

A simple synthesis of series of new catalysts derived from chiral bifunctional ureas is described. The aza-Henry reaction of imines with nitromethane was promoted by sugar derived bifunctional organocatalysts to give optically active β-nitroamines. The aza-Henry reaction products were obtained in good yields (35-98%) and ee up to 99%.