A novel method to obtain racemic 1-nitroalkan-2-ols by reaction of bromonitromethane with a variety of aldehydes and promoted by SmI2 is reported. On the basis of these results, the chiral version has also been performed with chiral N, N-dibenzyl amino aldehydes, affording the corresponding enantiopure 3-amino-1-nitroalkan-2-ols with good stereoselectivity.
