Cross-coupling between 3-buten-2-ol (2) and aldehyde in the presence of a catalytic amount of [RuCl2(PPh3)(3)] has been developed, through a tandem olefin migration/aldol reaction in a water/toluene mixture. The presence of In(OAc)(3) promoted the aldol reaction with alpha-vinylbenzyl alcohol (4) and aldehyde, while treatment of 3-buten-2-ol (2) with imines generated Mannich-type reaction products; syn isomers were formed as the major diastereomers for the aldol products 3a-3g and 5a-5e and the Mannich products 7a-7g.