The intramolecular carbenoid C–H insertion of 2-diazoacetoacetamides, leading to γ-and/or β-lactams, is catalyzed effectively by dinuclear Ru (I, I) complexes of the type [Ru2 (μ-L1) 2 (CO) 4L22], where L1 is a bidentate bridging acetate, calix [4] arenedicarboxylate, saccharinate or 6-chloropyridin-2-olate ligand. By comparison with rhodium catalysts, namely dirhodium tetraacetate and dirhodium calix [4] arenedicarboxylate complexes, ...