Solvent-Dependent Enantiodivergence in anti-Selective Catalytic Asymmetric Nitroaldol Reactions.

anti-Selective catalytic asymmetric nitroaldol reactions of α-keto esters promoted by a heterogeneous Nd/Na heterobimetallic catalyst exhibited a significant, unexpected disparity in enantioselection that was solvent-dependent. This phenomenon exclusively occurred when the stereogenic center of a diamide ligand had the smallest substituent (Me group, derived from l-Ala), which behaved uniquely in comparison with other structurally similar ligands to provide antipodal products under otherwise identical conditions.