Transition metal-catalyzed carbonylation is a useful tool, via which carbonyl functionalities such as aldehyde, ketone, and carboxylic acid can be introduced into a molecule. As with the carbonylation of organic halides, however, nickel appears not to stand comparison with palladium [1]. This is because CO coordinates very strongly with nickel and tends to saturate the coordination sites of the metal (see Section 1.2) so that both oxidative addition of nickel on CaX bonds and migratory insertion of CO into a nickel-C bond are rate-limiting (see Schemes 1.28 and 1.29) [2]. In fact, nickel complexes can be utilized very well for decarbonylation reactions (see Section 8.1). However, as shown in Eq. (8.1), nickel can assist palladium in improving the reactivity. Under similar conditions in the absence of NiCl 2 , these amide and ester products are created in 44% and 8% yields, respectively (100 C, 24 h) [3].Scheme 8.2. The nickel(0)-promoted decarbonylation of cyclic anhydrides forming nickella-lactones. 8.1 Decarbonylation 225 8.4 Carbonylation Forming Carboxylic Acid under Phase-Transfer Conditions 237