Catalytic Reductive Vinylidene Transfer Reactions

Methylenecyclopropanes are important
synthetic intermediates that
possess strain energies exceeding those of saturated cyclopropanes
by >10 kcal/mol. This report describes a catalytic reductive methylenecyclopropanation
reaction of simple olefins, utilizing 1,1-dichloroalkenes as vinylidene
precursors. The reaction is promoted by a dinuclear Ni catalyst, which
is proposed to access Ni2(vinylidenoid) intermediates via CCl
oxidative addition.