Boronate urea activation of nitrocyclopropane carboxylates.

Boronate ureas operate as catalysts for the activation of nitrocyclopropane carboxylates in nucleophilic ring-opening reactions. A variety of amines were found to open the urea-activated nitrocyclopropane carboxylates, generating highly useful nitro ester building blocks in good yields. Standard manipulations allow access to a wide range of valuable compounds from the ring-opened products with direct applications in bioactive target synthesis.