A nickel-catalyzed
route for direct, anhydride-additive-free deoxygenation
of fatty acids to the corresponding olefins has been developed. The
transformation is catalyzed by simple nickel salts of the type NiX<sub>2</sub> (X = halide, acetate, acetylacetonate), uses PPh<sub>3</sub> as a stoichiometric reductant, and exhibits selectivity for generation
of linear α-olefin products. The reaction was rendered cocatalytic
in PPh<sub>3</sub> using 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS) as terminal
reductant for the in situ reduction of OPPh<sub>3</sub> and catalytic
Cu(OTf)<sub>2</sub>
