The first catalytic use of Ga(0) in organic synthesis has been developed by using a Ag(I) cocatalyst, crownether ligation, and ultrasonic activation. Ga(I)-catalyzed C–C bond formations between allyl or allenyl boronic esters and acetals, ketals, or aminals have proceeded in high yields with essentially complete regio- and chemoselectivity. NMR spectroscopic analyses have revealed novel transient Ga(I) catalytic species, formed in situ through partial oxidation of Ga(0) and B–Ga transmetalation, respectively. The possibility of asymmetric Ga(I) catalysis has been demonstrated.

N,O-aminals, molecules bearing a geminally N,O-substituted (stereogenic) carbon center, have been recently recognized as an important class of building blocks in organic synthesis. As direct precursors of imines and iminium ions, N,O-aminals were converted through asymmetric organocatalysis or metal catalysis to diverse enantiomerically enriched compounds including N-heterocycles. Furthermore, cyclic N,O-hemiaminals acted as acyclic amino aldehyde surrogates, which were transformed to enantioenriched products otherwise challenging to access. Finally, cyclic N,O-aminals were formed in situ as key intermediates in asymmetric catalysis. In this review, we introduce a wide array of catalytic asymmetric protocols involving the use of four distinct types of N,O-aminals as starting materials or key intermediates.Keywords: acetal; aminal; asymmetric catalysis; carbinolamine; hemiaminal; heterocycles; imine; iminium ion

Catalysis using a bis(dialkylamino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC) has been developed, which relies on a formal umpolung activation of Michael acceptor pro-nucleophiles. Various aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman reactions between aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aliphatic imines and acyclic or cyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones and carboxylic acid derivatives have been catalyzed by a BAC under mild conditions. Functionalities such as unprotected amino and hydroxy groups have been tolerated. The catalyst loading was decreased to 1 mol% without loss of activity. The BAC catalyst was shown to be substantially more active than a cyclic (alkyl)(amino) carbene (CAAC), N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), and P- or N-centered Lewis bases.