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.