Substituent‐ and Catalyst‐Dependent Selectivity to Aldol or Nitrostyrene Products in a Heterogeneous Base‐Catalyzed Henry Reaction

Regarding Henry: Selective catalysis to the β-nitrostyrene or nitroalcohol products of the Henry reaction is demonstrated for substituted benzaldehyde reactants containing electron-donating and -withdrawing substituents, respectively, using secondary and tertiary amine-functionalized mesoporous catalysts. The effects of substituents at para, ortho, and meta positions of the aromatic aldehydes on the reaction are also established.