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.