N-Allenyl Amides and O-Allenyl Ethers in Enantioselective Catalysis

Nowadays asymmetric catalysis is an established re- ality in the organic synthesis community. Nevertheless, the range of applicability both in organic and in organometallic transformations is so large that seeking for new developments seems unstoppable. In this direction, from time to time a new class of “silent” organic compounds rises to prominence and creates new perspectives in the field. Allenyl amides and allenyl ethers are eminent examples of chemical “perturbation” of the current asymmetric synthetic scenario, with recent applications in metal-based and metal-free catalytic enantioselective manip- ulations. Besides their recent rediscovery in an asymmetric and catalytic context, this family of electron-rich allenes has already gained credit in terms of synthetic flexibility and the latest achievements in the field are summarized in this article.