Catalytic Carbonylative Rearrangement of Norbornadiene via Dinuclear Carbon–Carbon Oxidative Addition

Single
bonds between carbon atoms are inherently challenging to
activate using transition metals; however, ring-strain release can
provide the necessary thermodynamic driving force to make such processes
favorable. In this report, we describe a strain-induced C–C
oxidative addition of norbornadiene. The reaction is mediated by a
dinuclear Ni complex, which also serves as a catalyst for the carbonylative
rearrangement of norbornadiene to form a bicyclo[3.3.0] product.