(Phosphino-oxazoline)copper(II) complexes with bulky aryl groups at phosphorus were found to be excellent catalysts for Diels-Alder additions of 3-acryloyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one. Diels-Alder reactions with a range of substrates were investigated. Enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee were achieved. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.