The nickel alkyne complexes (dippe)Ni(PhCtCPh), 1, (dippe)Ni(MeCtCMe), 2, (dippe)-Ni(MeO 2 CCtCCO 2 Me), 3, (dippe)Ni(CH 3 OCH 2 CtCCH 2 OCH 3 ), 4, and (dippe)Ni(CF 3 CtCCF 3 ), 5, were synthesized (dippe ) bis(diisopropylphosphino)ethane) and characterized by 1 H, 31 P, and 13 C{ 1 H} NMR spectroscopy. Complexes 1, 2, and 3 were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The thermolysis of complex 1 or 2 (120 °C) in the presence of excess biphenylene and excess alkyne results in very slow catalytic formation of the corresponding 9,10-disubstituted phenanthrene. However, addition of ∼6 mol % O 2 (based on the metal complex) to the reaction mixture results in an acceleration in catalysis at lower temperatures (∼70-80 °C). The thermolysis of complexes 3 or 4 with excess biphenylene and excess alkyne leads to the alkyne cyclotrimerization product as the major organic species formed in the reaction. Fluorenone was catalytically produced by heating (dippe)Ni(CO) 2 , biphenylene, and CO. Catalytic insertion of 2,6-xylylisocyanide into the strained C-C bond of biphenylene was also achieved by heating (dippe)Ni(2,6-xylylisocyanide) 2 , excess biphenylene, and 2,6xylylisocyanide. Mechanistic schemes are proposed for these reactions.