synthesized by three-component coupling reaction of aldehydes, amines, and nitroalkanes in the presence of a catalytic amount of a samarium species under mild conditions. The reaction is considered to involve the coupling of alpha,beta-unsaturated imines, which are provided by the samarium-catalyzed aldol-type condensation of imines generated from amines and aldehydes, with nitroalkanes. In the case of the three-component