A mild and facile synthesis of enamides has been developed, based on nucleophilic addition of electron-rich aromatic and heteroaromatics to an allenamide unit catalyzed by a gold salt. Yields for the transformation were 29−98%.

An intermolecular hydroamination of allenamides with arylamines has been achieved under mild Au(I) catalysis conditions delivering allylamino E-enamides stereoselectively and in high yield. The reaction is made possible via a convenient method for conjugated N-acyliminium formation.

The combination of chiral cobalt β-ketoiminato or cobalt salen complexes and meso 1,2-dioxines leads to catalytic asymmetric ring-opening affording enantio-enriched cis γ-hydroxy enones; subsequent capture by an ylide affords enantio-enriched cyclopropanes.