Patent ID: 8575346

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) {[(diene)Ru(OOCR 1 ) 2 ] n (H 2 O) v } (I) wherein n is 1 or 2; v is 0 or 1; and R 1 represents: a hydrogen atom; a pyridyl group; a phenyl group optionally substituted by one to five halogen atoms and/or C 1-4 alkyl or alkoxyl groups; or a C 1-18 alkyl or alkenyl, optionally halogenated, and optionally substituted with one or two phenyl group, each phenyl group being optionally substituted by one to five halogen atoms and/or by C 1-4 alkyl or alkoxyl groups; and/or optionally substituted with one or two OH, or amino; comprising the step of reacting a precursor compound of the formulae [Ru(diene)(CO 3 ) 2 ]M n (II) or [Ru(diene)(CO 3 )] (II′) wherein “diene” is selected from the group consisting of COD (cycloocta-1,5-diene), NBD (norbornadiene), 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene and cyclohepta-1,4-diene, M is an alkaline (n is 2) or alkaline earth (n is 1) cation; in the presence of a carboxylic acid R 1 COOH, wherein R 1 is as defined in formula (I).