Et2AlCl reacts with chiral alpha,beta-unsaturated N-acyloxazolidones 1 exclusively ionically, Me2AlCl, on the other hand, exclusively radically with 1,4 addition of the alkyl residue to give beta-branched carboxylic acid derivatives. The intermediary aluminum enolates formed from Me2AlCl after methyl transfer can react with triplet oxygen to give alpha-hydroxy-beta-methylcarboxylic acid derivatives.