A highly selective, polymer-supported organocatalyst for Michael additions with enzyme-like behavior

A polymer-supported α,α-diarylprolinol silyl ether displays catalytic activity and enantioselectivity comparable to the best homogeneous catalysts in the Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroolefins. Above all, the combination of polymer backbone, triazole linker, and catalytic unit confers to it an unprecedented substrate selectivity in favor of linear, short-chain aldehydes.