The 36-electron diruthenium buta-1,3-diynyl complexes [Ru]C=C-C=C[Ru]
[Ru = Ru(PPh(3))(2)Cp and Ru(PMe(3))(PPh(3))Cp] undergo four stepwise
one-electron oxidation-reduction processes by cyclic voltammetry; some
of the oxidised complexes have also been prepared by chemical oxidati
on.