Biscinchona alkaloids as highly efficient bifunctional organocatalysts for the asymmetric conjugate addition of malonates to nitroalkenes at ambient temperature

The novel bifunctional bisalkaloids have been developed as highly efficient catalysts for the asymmetric conjugate addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes with low catalyst loading (1 mol %) at ambient temperature, providing the products with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).