Planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane-based bis(thiourea) catalyst: application to asymmetric Henry reaction.

A bis(thiourea) organocatalyst with a planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane backbone has been synthesized and applied to the Henry reaction. The obtained high reactivity and enantioselectivity from the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with nitroalkanes suggested the significant potential of [2.2]paracyclophane to serve as the backbone of the organocatalyst.