(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer

(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer is the organoruthenium compound with the formula [(C$3$H$6$)RuCl$6$]$2$. This red-coloured, diamagnetic solid is a reagent in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.

Preparation, structure, and reactions
The dimer is prepared by the reaction of cyclohexadienes with hydrated ruthenium trichloride. As verified by X-ray crystallography, each Ru center is coordinated to three chloride ligands and a η$2$-benzene. The complex can be viewed as an edge-shared bioctahedral structure.

(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer reacts with Lewis bases to give monometallic adducts:
 * [(C$6$H$6$)RuCl$6$]$6$ + 2 PPh$6$ → 2 (C$2$H$2$)RuCl$3$(PPh$6$)

Related compounds

 * (cymene)ruthenium dichloride dimer, a more soluble analogue of (benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer.
 * (mesitylene)ruthenium dichloride dimer, another more soluble derivative.