Catalytic highly enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of β-trifluoromethyl nitroalkenes. An easy and general entry to optically active β-trifluoromethyl amines.

In the presence of a thiourea catalyst, β-CF3 nitroalkenes react with Hantzsch esters in a highly enantioselective fashion, giving a broad range of β-CF3 amine precursors with a tertiary stereocentre at the β-position. This reaction represents the first general catalytic enantioselective approach to this important class of β-CF3 amines.