RuCl₃ (Johnson-Matthey),
DMSO (Fisher Scientific).

Ruthenium trichloride (6.00 g, 28.9 mmol) was refluxed in DMSO (30 ml) for 5 minutes before cooling to ambient temperature. Acetone (50 ml) was added and the solution poured into a crystallising dish. After 3 days the orange crystals formed were filtered, washed with acetone (20 ml) and diethyl ether (20 ml). Recrystallisation from hot DMSO yielded yellow crystals, which were filtered, washed with acetone (20 ml) and diethyl ether (20 ml), and dried in the vacuum oven (50^oC) overnight. Yield = 7.52 g, 15.5 mmol, 54%.

The filtrate was left to stand and allowed further product to be collected.

¹H NMR (400 MHz, 298 K, CDCl₃) 3.53, 3.50, 3.43, 3.33 (Me of DMSO, S-Ru linked), 2.73 (Me of DMSO, O-Ru linked), 2.61 (Me of free DMSO). Ratio S-Ru:O-Ru 4:1.

Evans, Spencer and Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans., 1973, 204

Duliere, Devillers and Marchand-Brynaert, Organometallics, 2003, 22, 804.