The influence of substituents on both the aromatic rings of the catalyst, and the benzylidene unit of the substrate are investigated in the (salen) copper (II) catalysed asymmetric benzylation of alanine derivatives. Catalysts with electron-donating, and electron- withdrawing substituents of various sizes and at various locations on the aromatic rings of the salen ligand were prepared, but all exhibited inferior enantioselectivity to the parent ( ...