In benzene under an atmosphere of hydrogen, triplet excited-state xanthone or acetone sensitizes the photoreduction of bis(acety1acetonato) nickel(ii), Ni(acac),, to transient nickel(i) complexes which can be detected b y ESR spectroscopy in the presence of stabilizing ligands. The kinetics of these ESR signal decays prove that these nickel ( I) complexes are derived from moderately co-ordinating ligands, such as tetrahydrofuran and 1,5-cyclo-octadiene (1,5-COD), and react with hydrogen in the dark t o form nickel hydride complexes. A n excess of 1,5-COD in the photolysate was sequentially and catalytically isomerized and hydrogenated under the irradiation conditions; i.e., 1,5-COD-+I ,4-COD+l,3-COD+COE-+COA.The nickel hydride complexes are proposed as the key species in the initiation of the catalytic cycle in which steps involving the addition and elimination of nickel hydride bonds and the hydrogenolysis of nickel complexes are assumed. As these alkene reactions cease in the dark and are quenched b y a high concentration of 1,3-COD, it can be concluded that one or more steps in the catalytic cycle requires sensitized photoexcitation.We have shown that triplet excited-state ketones with high triplet-state energy (e.g. xanthone and benzophenone) can sensitize the photoreduction of bis(acetylacetonato)nickel(rr), Ni(acac),, to give nickel(r) complexes and acetylacetone (acacH) in an H-atom donating solvent which is itself oxidized.' The Ni' complexes generally disproportionate to give Ni" compounds and Nio as metallic precipitates (or its complexes in the presence of suitable ligands, L). Ni(acac), + RCH,OH-Ni(acac)L, + acacH + RCHO Scheme 1.