A trace amount (ca. 3 mg) of 2-methylpyrimidyl alkanol with only a slight enantiomeric excess (0.2-0.3% e.e.) was auto-multiplied with dramatic amplification of enantiomeric excess (up to ca. 90% e.e.) in one-pot asymmetric autocatalytic reaction using diisopropylzinc and 2-methylpyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.