Efficient asymmetric catalysis of chiral organoaluminum complex for enantioselective ene reactions of aldehydes

Chiral organoaluminum complex 1 efficiently catalyzed the asymmetric hetero-ene reaction of commercially available 2-methoxypropene (2) with aldehydes under mild conditions to give the corresponding β-hydroxymethyl ketones 3 in good to excellent chemical yields with high enantiomeric excesses. The asymmetric catalysis of 1 was further applied to the carbonyl addition of methallylsilanes, where exclusive formation of the optically active allylic silanes 5 was achieved.