Organocatalytic enantioselective cascade Michael-Michael-Wittig reactions of phosphorus ylides: one-pot synthesis of the all-cis trisubstituted cyclohexenecarboxylates via the [1 + 2 + 3] annulation.

The stereoselective synthesis of all-cis 5-nitro-4,6-diphenylcyclohex-1-enecarboxylic ester has been achieved by an organocatalytic asymmetric Michael-Michael-Wittig cascade reaction of phosphorus ylides, nitroolefins, and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee).