Several asymmetric 1,2-additions of various organolithium reagents (methyllithium, n-butyllithium, phenyllithium, lithioacetonitrile, lithium n-propylacetylide, lithium phenylacetylide) to aldehydes are shown to result in decent to excellent enantiomeric excesses (65–98%) when performed in the presence of a chiral lithium amido sulfide. The chiral lithium amido sulfides invariably exhibited higher
O-arylation of 1,2-aminoalcohols using functionalized triarylbismuthreagents is reported. The reaction can be performed using substoichiometric amounts of copper acetate and operates under mild conditions. Good functional group tolerance is observed, giving access to a range of β-aryloxyamines. The effect provided by the amino group in the arylation reaction is investigated.