Directing effects of tethered alkenes in nickel-catalyzed coupling reactions of 1,6-enynes and aldehydes

Nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling reactions of aldehydes and 1,6-enynes proceed in excellent regioselectivity in the absence of a phosphine, and the use of a monodentate phosphine additive leads to the formation of the opposite regioisomer with equally high selectivity. Both products are the result of the same fundamental mechanism, with the inversion of regioselectivity being the result of stereospecific ligand substitution at the metal center.