In 1991, Yamamoto disclosed the first catalytic enantioselective method for carbonyl allylation, which employed a chiral boron Lewis acid-catalyst in combination with allyltrimethylsilane. Numerous other catalytic enantioselective methods for carbonyl allylation followed. Catalytic variants of the Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction represent an alternative method for asymmetric carbonyl allylation, but stoichiometric metallic reductants are required.
Whereas the aforementioned asymmetric carbonyl allylations rely on preformed allylmetal reagents, the Krische allylation exploits allyl acetate for enantioselective carbonyl allylation. Selected methods for asymmetric carbonyl allylation are summarized below.