A process for preparing a nitrated compound, including the step of reacting a compound (A) including at least one substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, wherein the heteroaromatic ring includes at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, phosphor, selenium and nitrogen, with a compound of formula (I) ##STR00001##
wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and nitro.

A process for preparing a nitrated compound, including the step of reacting a compound (A) including at least one substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, wherein the heteroaromatic ring includes at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, phosphor, selenium and nitrogen, with a compound of formula (I) ##STR00001##
wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and nitro.

The invention provides compounds and methods, for example, to carry out organocatalytic Michael additions of aldehydes to cyclically constrained nitroethylene compounds catalyzed by a proline derivative to provide cyclically constrained α-substituted-γ-nitro-aldehydes. The reaction can be rendered enantioselective when a chiral pyrrolidine catalyst is used, allowing for Michael adducts in nearly optically pure form (e.g., 96 to >99% e.e.). The Michael adducts can bear a single substituent or dual substituents adjacent to the carbonyl. The Michael adducts can be efficiently converted to cyclically constrained protected γ-amino acid residues, which are essential for systematic conformational studies of γ-peptide foldamers. New methods are also provided to prepare other γ-amino acids and peptides. These new building blocks can be used to prepare foldamers, such as α/γ-peptide foldamers, that adopt specific helical conformations in solution and in the solid state.

The invention provides compounds and methods, for example, to carry out organocatalytic Michael additions of aldehydes to cyclically constrained nitroethylene compounds catalyzed by a proline derivative to provide cyclically constrained α-substituted-γ-nitro-aldehydes. The reaction can be rendered enantioselective when a chiral pyrrolidine catalyst is used, allowing for Michael adducts in nearly optically pure form (e.g., 96 to >99% e.e.). The Michael adducts can bear a single substituent or dual substituents adjacent to the carbonyl. The Michael adducts can be efficiently converted to cyclically constrained protected γ-amino acid residues, which are essential for systematic conformational studies of γ-peptide foldamers. New methods are also provided to prepare other γ-amino acids and peptides. These new building blocks can be used to prepare foldamers, such as α/γ-peptide foldamers, that adopt specific helical conformations in solution and in the solid state.

A process for preparing a nitrated compound, including the step of reacting a compound (A) including at least one substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, wherein the heteroaromatic ring includes at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, phosphor, selenium and nitrogen, with a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001##

wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and nitro.

A process for preparing a nitrated compound, including the step of reacting a compound (A) including at least one substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, wherein the heteroaromatic ring includes at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, phosphor, selenium and nitrogen, with a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001##

wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and nitro.

A polysubstituted benzene compound, preparation method thereof, and method of using the same. The compound has a formula I or I′, where X represents carbon, sulfur, or oxygen; R.sup.1 represents a C.sub.1-16 alkyl, C.sub.2-16 alkenyl, or C.sub.2-10 alkynyl; R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1-16 alkyl, C.sub.2-16 alkenyl, or C.sub.2-10 alkynyl; or an aryl group or a substituted aryl group by 1-5 groups selected from halogen, C.sub.1-26 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 halogenated alkyl, O—C.sub.1-3 alkyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano group, aldehyde group and ester group; or a heteroaryl group or a substituted heteroaryl group by 1-5 groups selected from halogen, C.sub.1-26 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 halogenated alkyl, O—C.sub.1-3 alkyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano group, aldehyde group and ester group; the heteroaryl group is a 3-10-membered heteroaryl group including N, S, O, or a combination thereof.

Zwitterion ligand metal complexes and methods of aerobic oxidation using a zwitterion ligand metal complex are provided. The zwitterion ligand metal complexes can include a transition metal salt and a zwitterion ligand, which can comprise a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation, an amide anion-ammonium cation, or an iminium cation. The methods of aerobic oxidation can include combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex with an oxidizable compound and molecular oxygen to allow the isolation of an oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound.

Zwitterion ligand metal complexes and methods of aerobic oxidation using a zwitterion ligand metal complex are provided. The zwitterion ligand metal complexes can include a transition metal salt and a zwitterion ligand, which can comprise a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation, an amide anion-ammonium cation, or an iminium cation. The methods of aerobic oxidation can include combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex with an oxidizable compound and molecular oxygen to allow the isolation of an oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound.

Zwitterion ligand metal complexes and methods of aerobic oxidation using a zwitterion ligand metal complex are provided. The zwitterion ligand metal complexes can include a transition metal salt and a zwitterion ligand, which can comprise a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation, an amide anion-ammonium cation, or an iminium cation. The methods of aerobic oxidation can include combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex with an oxidizable compound and molecular oxygen to allow the isolation of an oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound.