The discovery of novel reactivity in the development of C-C bond-forming reactions: in situ generation of zinc acetylides with Zn(II)/R(3)N.

There have been great strides in expanding the scope, application, and versatility of known reaction types (i.e., Mukaiyama aldol). It is interesting to speculate that limitations in the number of such known basic reaction types constitute the greatest barrier in the development of practical processes. The catalytic generation of transition-metal metalloenolates and alkynilides under conditions compatible with electrophilic reaction partners provides fresh avenues for the development of new efficient asymmetric processes leading to C-C bond formation.