Carbon-chain homologations synthetic utility

The Henry reaction, or nitroaldo reaction, is one of the classic carbon-chain formation methods utilized in organic synthesis. It involves the condensation of nitroalkanes with aldehydes or ketones in the presence of bases (often catalytic amount) to afford the mixtures of diastereomeric 2-nitroalcohols, which in turn can be converted into other useful synthetic intermediates, such as 2-aminoalcohols, a-hydroxyketones, homologous ketones, and perhaps most importantly, nitroalkenes through various functional transformations. 

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