Two maltol molecules can be deprotonated and coordinated to Ru-II to g
enerate a series of octahedral complexes having the general formula Ru
(ma)(2)L(2)(ma = C6H5O3; L = PPh(3), Me(2)SO; L(2) = cycloocta-1,5-die
ne); when L = PPh(3), a precursor for the dimerization of phenylacetyl
ene is obtained.