In a general sense, transition metal-based catalysis can be viewed as template reactions: Reactants coordinate to adjacent sites on the metal ion and, owing to their adjacency, the two reactants interconnect (insert or couple) either directly or via the action of another reagent. In the area of homogeneous catalysis, the cyclo-oligomerization of acetylene to cyclooctatetraene at a nickel(II) centre reflects the templating effect of the nickel, where it is supposed that four acetylene molecules occupy four sites around the metal and react simultaneously to give the product.  This simplistic mechanistic hypotheses was influential in the development of these catalytic reactions.  For example, if a competing ligand such as triphenylphosphine were added to occupy one coordination site, then only three molecules of acetylene could bind, and these come together to form benzene (see Reppe chemistry).