Novel thiophosphonodiamides as efficient hydrogen bond donor catalysts in tandem Michael addition–cyclization of malononitrile and 2-(E)-2-nitrovinylphenols

From l-amino acid, three chiral thiophosphonodiamides were prepared as new hydrogen bond donor organocatalysts. Under the mediation of the catalyst derived from l-valine, a tandem Michael addition/cyclization reaction between (E)-2-(2-nitrovinyl)phenols and malononitrile proceeds smoothly, giving pharmaceutically valuable 2-amino-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles in high yields with 66–95% ee within 2 h.