Enantioselective synthesis of 2-amino-4-(nitromethyl)-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles from 2-iminochromenes

A series of medicinally important 2-amino-4-(nitromethyl)-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles were synthesized using enantioselective conjugate addition of nitromethane to 2-iminochromenes. The reactions were performed using L8-Cu (II) catalytic system and moderate to good enantioselectivities (62-88%) and yields (66-96%) were obtained.