Oxidative addition of quadricyclene to di-µ-chlorotetracarbonyldirhodium(I) and the mechanism of the rhodium(I)-catalysed isomerization of quadricyclene to norbornadiene

Abstract

Several new organorhodium compounds derived from the reaction of quadricyclene with di-µ-chlorotetracarbonyldirhodium(I) are described; it is concluded that the rhodium(I)-catalysed valence isomerization of quadricyclene to norbornadiene proceeds through a non-concerted mechanism involving an oxidative addition step.