RuCl(PPh) is the product of the reaction of ruthenium trichloride trihydrate with a methanolic solution of triphenylphosphine.
:2 RuCl(HO) + 7 PPh → 2 RuCl(PPh) + 2 HCl + 5 HO + OPPh
The coordination sphere of RuCl(PPh) can be viewed as either five-coordinate or octahedral. One coordination site is occupied by one of the hydrogen atoms of a phenyl group. This Ru---H agostic interaction is long (2.59 Å) and weak. The low symmetry of the compound is reflected by the differing lengths of the Ru-P bonds: 2.374, 2.412, and 2.230 Å. The Ru-Cl bond lengths are both 2.387 Å.