Enantioselective Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction promoted by a heterobimetallic complex with a Lewis base

A new double-activation catalysis is presented for the Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction of an α,β-unsaturated ketone and an aldehyde by the combined use of a heterobimetallic asymmetric complex and tributylphosphine ((n-Bu)3P) to afford the α-methylene-β-hydroxy ketone with up to 99% ee.