2-Phenallyl as a versatile protecting group for the asymmetric one-pot three-component synthesis of propargylamines.

2-Phenallyl was found to be a versatile protecting group of primary amines for the asymmetric one-pot three-component synthesis of propargylamines which leads to enantiomeric excess of up to 96%; it can be easily removed with a palladium(0)-catalyzed allylic substitution using 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid as a nucleophile.