Coupling reaction of monoacetate 2 and aryl hard nucleophiles is realized for the first time, which consists of the lithium arylborates as hard nucleophiles and NiCl2(PPh3)(2) as a catalyst. More importantly, the independent effects of t-BuCN and NaI and their synergistic function are discovered to increase regioselectivity furnishing trans 1,3-isomers 6 as the major products. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.