Catalytic enantioselective addition of allylic organometallic reagents to aldehydes and ketones

Excellent progress was made over past decade in the develoment, understanding, and application of catalytic, enantioselective allylation reactions. For simple allylation, good methods were available, but they require the use of toxic tin reagents and high loadings of the catalyst. For addition of substituted allylic residues, the problem of predictable and selective diastereocontrol was not solved in general. With Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions and insitu generation of allylic organometallic species, there were selective cases but also wide variability.