Abstract Acid-catalyzed rearrangement of 6-phenylbicyclo [3.2. 0] heptan-6-ol gave 1, 1′- biphenyl and 1, 1′-biphenyl-carbaldehydes in small amounts as well as the expected rearrangement products. A detailed study of the reaction mechanism revealed that the conversion occurs via an oxidative process through the consecutive formation of cycloheptadienes, cycloheptatrienes, and 1, 1′-biphenyls. The acid-catalyzed ...