A straightforward in situ preparation of new chiral amido alkyl ate yttrium complexes is described. They catalysed the enantioselective cyclisation of 1,2-dialkyl-substituted aminopentenes in up to 77% ee, a significant value for this challenging transformation. Complex [(R)-L0][Y(CH2TMS)2·Li(THF)4] undergoes C–H bond activation resulting in the formation of an original dimeric heterobimetallic yttrium complex which also acts as an active precatalyst.
