Organocatalytic Asymmetric Cascade Reaction of γ‐Substituted Deconjugated Butenolides with o ‐Formyl‐β‐nitrostyrene

An efficient chemo‐, diastereo‐ and enantio‐selective cascade synthesis of functionalized indanols bearing four contiguous stereogenic centres has been developed via the reaction of β,γ ‐butenolides with o ‐formyl‐ β ‐nitrostyrenes in the presence of bi‐functional hydrogen‐bonding catalyst. Indanol derivatives containing γ,γ ‐disubstituted butenolides were obtained in good yields and with moderate to high enantioselectivities/diastereoselectivities.