RuCl(PPh) facilitates oxidations, reductions, cross-couplings, cyclizations, and isomerization. It is used in the Kharasch addition of chlorocarbons to alkenes.
Dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) serves as a precatalyst for the hydrogenation of alkenes, nitro compounds, ketones, carboxylic acids, and imines.  On the other hand, it catalyzes the oxidation of alkanes to tertiary alcohols, amides to t-butyldioxyamides, and tertiary amines to α-(t-butyldioxyamides) using tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Using other peroxides, oxygen, and acetone, the catalyst can oxidize alcohols to aldehydes or ketones. Using dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) the N-alkylation of amines with alcohols is also possible (see "borrowing hydrogen").
RuCl(PPh) efficiently catalyzes carbon-carbon bond formation from cross couplings of alcohols through C-H activation of sp carbon atoms in the presence of a Lewis acid.