Henry Reaction

The Henry Reaction is a base-catalyzed C-C bond-forming reaction between nitroalkanes and aldehydes or ketones. It is similar to the Aldol Addition, and also referred to as the Nitro Aldol Reaction.

If acidic protons are available (i.e. when R = H), the products tend to eliminate water to give nitroalkenes. Therefore, only small amounts of base should be used if the isolation of the β-hydroxy nitro-compounds is desired.

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Mechanism of the Henry Reaction

Recent Literature

A Highly Diastereo- and Enantioselective Copper(I)-Catalyzed Henry Reaction Using a Bis(sulfonamide)-Diamine Ligand

A New Catalyst for the Asymmetric Henry Reaction: Synthesis of β-Nitroethanols in High Enantiomeric Excess

Practical Asymmetric Henry Reaction Catalyzed by a Chiral Diamine-Cu(OAc)₂ Complex

A New Copper Acetate-Bis(oxazoline)-Catalyzed, Enantioselective Henry Reaction

Enantioselective Nitroaldol Reaction of α-Ketoesters Catalyzed by Cinchona Alkaloids

Nitroaldol Reaction in Aqueous Media: An Important Improvement of the Henry Reaction

Hyperbranched Polyamines: Tunable Catalysts for the Henry Reaction

Indium-Catalyzed Henry-Type Reaction of Aldehydes with Bromonitroalkanes

A Convenient Samarium-Promoted Synthesis of Aliphatic (E)-Nitroalkenes under Mild Conditions

Highly anti-Selective Asymmetric Nitro-Mannich Reactions Catalyzed by Bifunctional Amine-Thiourea-Bearing Multiple Hydrogen-Bonding Donors

Dinuclear Zinc-AzePhenol Catalyzed Asymmetric Aza-Henry Reaction of N-Boc Imines and Nitroalkanes under Ambient Conditions

Aza-Henry Reaction of Ketoimines Catalyzed by Na₂CO₃: An Efficient Way to β-Nitroamines

Electrochemically Induced Aza-Henry Reaction: A New, Mild, and Clean Synthesis of α-Nitroamines

Mechanistic Studies on the Michael Addition of Amines and Hydrazines To Nitrostyrenes: Nitroalkane Elimination via a Retro-aza-Henry-Type Process