New concepts in catalysis are without doubt the key for the success of efficient and sustainable synthesis and will be the basis to address today’s challenges of our society, such as energy and shortage of resources. In this video the basic idea of using bidentate Lewis acids in organic synthesis is explained, which has been developed in the group of H. Wegner at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). Finally, the methodology is showcased by demonstrating an inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction in the laboratory.