Chiral β-amino alcohol ligands were found effective for the copper(II)-catalyzed asymmetric Henry reaction of benzofuran-2-carbaldehydes with nitromethane, which led to the formation of (S)-enriched benzofuryl β-nitro alcohols with satisfactory enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Using this catalytic protocol, bioactive (S)-benzofuryl β-amino alcohols could be conveniently prepared in short steps.

Chiral amino alcohol–copper(II) catalysts Cu-L1c and Cu-ent-L1c were utilized to promote the diastereoselective nitroaldol reactions of chiral aldehydes (S)-3 or (R)-3 with nitromethane, which respectively led to the preferential formation of certain stereoisomer for nitro diol derivatives 4. Using this catalytic protocol, all the four stereoisomers of the antidepressant reboxetine were divergently prepared. The highest overall yield of this synthetic route reached up to 30.5% from aldehyde (S)-3.

Chiral β-amino alcohol ligands were found effective for the copper(II)-catalyzed asymmetric Henry reaction of benzofuran-2-carbaldehydes with nitromethane, which led to the formation of (S)-enriched benzofuryl β-nitro alcohols with satisfactory enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Using this catalytic protocol, bioactive (S)-benzofuryl β-amino alcohols could be conveniently prepared in short steps.

Chiral amino alcohol–copper(II) catalysts Cu-L1c and Cu-ent-L1c were utilized to promote the diastereoselective nitroaldol reactions of chiral aldehydes (S)-3 or (R)-3 with nitromethane, which respectively led to the preferential formation of certain stereoisomer for nitro diol derivatives 4. Using this catalytic protocol, all the four stereoisomers of the antidepressant reboxetine were divergently prepared. The highest overall yield of this synthetic route reached up to 30.5% from aldehyde (S)-3.