Enantioselective Henry reaction catalyzed with copper(II)–iminopyridine complexes

Copper complexes of chiral iminopyridines prepared from camphane-derived ketones and picolylamine catalyzed the enantioselective Henry (nitroaldol) reaction between nitromethane and a number of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with high yields and good enantioselectivities. Iminopyridines derived from (1 R )-(+)-camphor and (1 S )-(+)-ketopinic acid gave the best results to afford the opposite enantiomers in each case, despite the fact they have the same stereochemical pattern at the camphane skeleton. The reactions were carried out without air or moisture exclusion.