For the first time, an excellent enantioselectivity has been obtained in the conjugate addition of hard organometallic reagents to α,β-unsaturated lactams bearing appropriate protecting–activating groups on the nitrogen.

A simple efficient, stereoselective, and highly regioselective method for the synthesis of ß-hydroxy sulfides by the direct opening of 1,2-epoxides with thiols in anhydrous acetonitrile, in the presence of a metal salt, is described. This new method appears to be competitive with the other methods previously reported.

The first successful asymmetric transfer of rhodium–alkynyl species to symmetrical strained alkenes has been realized starting from bicyclic hydrazines and alkynylboronic esters.