An efficient method for the synthesis of β-nitro alcohols from nitro alkanes and aldehydes in aqueous phosphate buffer under neutral pH conditions at room temperature is reported. In the case of higher nitro alkanes, the reaction showed very good diastereoselectivity to give syn β-nitro alcohols in preference to their anti products.
Atom‐economic synthesis: The syn‐ and highlyenantioselective Henry reactions of aliphaticaldehydescatalyzed by a readilyavailable β‐amino alcohol copper catalyst were developed and successfully utilized in the synthesis of safingol. The ligand could be easily recovered without any racemization (see scheme).