Nickel-catalyzed coupling of alkenes, aldehydes, and silyl triflates

The development of the nickel-catalyzed coupling of alkenes, aldehydes, and silyl triflates is the first example of a transition metal-catalyzed coupling of simple, unactivated olefins and aldehydes that provides allylic alcohol derivatives. Evidence that supports the notion that nickel-catalyzed coupling of alkenes, aldehydes, and silyl triflates does not involve a carbonyl-ene reaction mechanism is that ethylene, with no allylic hydrogen, also participate in this coupling reaction using the same Ni-phosphine catalyst system.