A comprehensive overview of recent literature from 2003 concerning advances in enantioselective copper catalysed 1,4-addition of organometallic reagents to alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds is given in this critical review. About 200 ligands and catalysts are presented, with a focus on stereoselectivities, catalyst loading, ligand structure and substrate scope. A major part is devoted to trapping and tandem reactions and a variety of recent synthetic applications are used to illustrate the practicality and current state of the art of 1,4-addition of organometallic reagents. Finally several mechanistic studies are discussed (162 references).

The first, highly enantioselective, copper/phosphoramiditecatalyzed conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to N-substituted 2,3-dehydro-4-piperidones is described.

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A new protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,6-disubstituted-4-piperidones has been developed using a catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition reaction in combination with a diastereoselective lithiation-substitution sequence; an efficient synthesis of (+)-myrtine has been achieved via this route.

The asymmetric synthesis of protected amines via the copper/phosphoramidite-catalyzed addition of organozinc and organoaluminum reagents to N-acylimines, generated in situ from aromatic and aliphatic alpha-amidosulfones, is reported. High yields of optically active N-formyl-protected amines and enantioselectivities up to 99% were obtained. Under the reaction conditions, partial oxidation of the phosphoramidite ligand to the corresponding phosphoric amide was detected. A preliminary study on the origin and the effect on the catalytic addition reaction is presented.