The sulfoxide ligand is thought to promote this step by generating a highly electrophilic, possibly cationic palladium species in situ.

This species coordinates to the alkene and acidifies the adjacent C-H bond, which allows acetate to abstract the proton and forms a π-allyl palladium complex (II).

Subsequently, a π-acid such as benzoquinone coordinates to the palladium, activating the π-allyl complex to nucleophilic attack (III).

[2] An enantioselective version of this reaction was subsequently reported, using chromium(III) salen fluoride as a chiral cocatalyst.

[5] In addition to acetate, a wide variety of carboxylic acids may be employed as nucleophiles in the branch allylic esterification reaction.

[9] Using methyl N-tosyl carbamate nucleophile, the linear E-allylic amine products are obtained from α-olefin substrates.

[11][12] These reactions were catalyzed by the White catalyst or by an earlier version of the complex bearing benzyl substituents on the sulfoxide in place of phenyl.