The aza-Michael addition of weakly nucleophilic amines with alpha, beta-unsaturated compounds like esters, nitriles and amides has been carried out efficiently using Y(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O as a novel catalyst under solvent-free conditions. The catalyst exhibited remarkable activity and the methodology was applicable to a wide variety of aryl/hetero-aryl amines having different steric and electronic properties giving high yields of desired adducts at ambient conditions. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.