Treatment of the dimeric precursor [{RuCl(m-Cl) (h6
-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)}2] (1) with HN]CPh2 in the
presence of H2O afforded the areneeruthenium(II) complex [(h6
-C6H5OCH2CH2OH) (HN]CPh2)RuCl2] (2),
as well as the aquo-species [(h6
-C6H5OCH2CH2OH) (H2O)RuCl2] (3). The hydroxyethoxy substituent on
the arene induces water-solubility of the resulting complexes. Reaction of 2 with HC^C(O)OR1 in R2OH