A nickel catalyst prepared from Ni(cod)(2) and PMe3 is found to effect arylcyanation reaction of alkynes. namely cleavage of a C-CN bond of an aryl cyanide followed by addition of each fragment across an alkyne. A wide range of functional groups in aryl cyanides tolerated the catalysis, giving variously functionalized beta-arylalkenenitriles stereoselectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.