It is a diamagnetic coordination complex featuring tetrahedral nickel(0) bound to the alkene groups in two 1,5-cyclooctadiene ligands.

This highly air-sensitive yellow solid is a common source of Ni(0) in chemical synthesis.

[1] The complex is prepared by reduction of anhydrous nickel(II) acetylacetonate in the presence of the diolefin: Ni(cod)2 is moderately soluble in several organic solvents.

One or both 1,5-cyclooctadiene ligands are readily displaced by phosphines, phosphites, bipyridine, and isocyanides.

[6] Oxidation gives the highly reactive monocation, which can be isolated when using weakly coordinating anions:[7] Of its many catalytic reactions,[5] Ni(cod)2 in the presence of phosphine ligands catalyzes the demethoxylation of anisoles by hydrosilanes:[8]