Ni-catalysed regioselective 1,2-diarylation of unactivated olefins by stabilizing Heck intermediates as pyridylsilyl-coordinated transient metallacycles

)-NiX intermediates as transient metallacycles to suppress β-hydride elimination, and facilitate transmetalation/reductive elimination. This method affords 1,2-diarylethylsilanes, which can be readily oxidized to 1,2-diarylethanols that occur as structural motifs in 3-aryl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin and dihydrostilbenoid natural products.