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A series of nitroalkanes were efficiently transformed to alkylnitrones using a visible light irradiation photocatalytic process. The mild, efficient, and environmentally benign reaction method, involving dynamic reciprocations of cascade pathways, comprises a mixture of a Ru(bpy)3Cl2 photoredox catalyst and DIPIBA or Hünig's base in CH3CN. Notably, DIPIBA was found to be the best additive for the cross condensation reaction of nitroalkanes with aldehydes. The structures of appropriate products were confirmed by X-ray analysis.

An expedited method has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of highly functionalized decaline systems containing seven contiguous stereogenic centers with high enantioselectivities (>99% ee). The one-pot methodology comprises a cascade of organocatalytic double Michael–photocatalyzed Michael–aldol reactions of ethyl 2-bromo-6-formylhex-2-enoate, β-alkyl-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, and α-alkyl-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The structure and absolute configuration of an appropriate product were confirmed by X-ray analysis.

Michael addition of carbethoxymethylenetriphenylphosphorane (a Wittig reagent) to nitroalkenes, followed by a reaction with ethyl formylformate and cinnamaldehydes, or formaldehyde and cinnamaldehydes, provided the respective pentasubstituted cyclopentanecarbaldehydes bearing a quaternary carbon center and pentasubstituted cyclohexanecarbaldehydes having five contiguous stereocenters with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee).