Nickel-catalyzed four-component connection of oraganoaluminium (organozinc), isoprene, aldehydes and amines: stereo- and regioselective synthesis of trisubstituted (E)-homoallylamines

Ni(acac)2 catalyzes the four-component connection reaction of trimethylaluminium (or diphenylzinc), isoprene, aromatic aldehydes and p-anisidine in this order and provides (E)-1-aryl-1-(p-methoxyphenyl)amino-3-methyl-3hexenes (or (E)-1-aryl-1-(p-methoxyphenyl)amino-3-methyl-5-phenyl-3-pentenes) selectively in good yield.