The ruthenium(II)-catalyzed [2+2] cycloadditions of anti 7-substituted norbornenes with an alkyne were investigated. The cycloadditions were found to proceed with a high degree of stereoselectivity, giving only the exo stereoisomers in moderate to good yields using an improved protocol. Comparative rate studies between a variety of anti 7-substituted norbornenes and an alkyne revealed that the reactivity