Hydrogen bonding mediated enantioselective organocatalysis in brine: significant rate acceleration and enhanced stereoselectivity in enantioselective Michael addition reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls to β-nitroolefins.

Brine provides remarkable rate acceleration and a higher level of stereoselectivity over organic solvents, due to the hydrophobic hydration effect, in the enantioselective Michael addition reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls to β-nitroolefins using chiral H-donors as organocatalysts. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011