The conversion of alkynyl carbonyls to allenyl carbonyls via manganese mediated coordination followed by a base-catalyzed isomerization was carried out using a range of chiral and achiral amine bases. Chiral amidine and chiral DBU derivatives were synthesized to carry out the isomerization enantioselectively. We employed HPLC equipped with a chiral column to determine the enantiomeric excess. We also proved that the mechanism of that the manganese-coordinated alkyne/allene rearrangement reaction involved an intermediate cumenolate. It was also confirmed that amine base with pKa lower than that of DBU (pKa = 13.6) would not carry out the isomerization. Alkoxy base were also used in isomerization and the mechanism was also investigated. / by Chang He. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.