The enantioselective alkyne-imine addition catalysed by copper(I)-bis(oxazoline) (box) can be efficiently performed in the ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [bmim][NTf2]. Several substrates were tested and the reuse of the catalytic CuOTf/(box) was carried out for six cycles allowing high overall yield (87%) and enantioselectivity (first cycle 94%, sixth cycle 89%). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.