The literature from 1990 to August, 1996 on the intermolecular addition of chiral and prochiral carbon nucleophiles (silyl ketene acetals, silyl ketene thioacetals, silyl enol ethers, allylsilanes, etc...) to chiral and prochiral imines, iminium and N-acyliminium ions is reviewed. Application to the stereoselective synthesis of β-lactams, β-aminocarbonyl compounds and other useful synthetic intermediates is presented.