Pyrrolidine-linker-camphor assembly: bifunctional organocatalysts for efficient Michael addition of cyclohexanone to nitroolefins under neat conditions

A simple and convenient strategy was developed to synthesize a new class of pyrrolidinyl-camphor based bifunctional organocatalysts possessing varying functional linkers. Catalytic screening of these camphor-pyrrolidine linked derivatives for asymmetric Michael reaction of cyclohexanone with β-nitrostyrene was carried out. Various aryl- and heteroaryl-nitroolefins, ketones as well as aldehydes gave the corresponding Michael adducts in high chemical yields (up to 95%) and exceptionally high diastereo-(syn/anti up to 99:1) and enantioselectivity (up to 95%) using catalyst 6 under solvent-free conditions.