In discussing this question it is useful to remember that treatment of a nitroparaffin salt with an alkyl halide ordinarily results in oxygen alkylation, whereas Michael additions routinely give the carbon alkylate. Oxygen alkylation of a nitroparaffin salt is a simple SN2 displacement, 2p3 a single-stage irreversible process subject to kinetic control, eg, as in eq 6. In contrast, the Michael reaction is a multistage process which is subject to ...