Highly enantioselective carbonyl-enereaction of glyoxal derivatives and glyoxylate with various alkenes was accomplished using a novel nickel(II)-N,N'-dioxide complex under mild conditions, which facilitated the asymmetric synthesis of biologically interesting alpha-hydroxy carbonyl compounds. Various aromatic, aliphatic, and heteroaromatic glyoxal derivatives, as well as glyoxylate, could be tolerated