N-C bond formation between two anilines coordinated to a ruthenium center in cis -form affording a 3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diimine moiety.

Ruthenium complexes containing two anilines or its derivatives, cis -[Ru II (NH 2 C 6 H 5 ) 2 (bpy) 2 ] 2+ ([1] 2+ ) and cis -[Ru II (NH 2 C 6 H 4 (4-CH 3 )) 2 (bpy) 2 ] 2+ ([2] 2+ ), were oxidized by four molar equivalents of (NH 4 ) 4 [Ce IV (SO 4 ) 4 ]·2H 2 O to give N 1 -phenylcyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-diimineruthenium(ii) complexes, cis -[Ru II ( N HC 6 H 4 N C 6 H 5 )(bpy) 2 ] 2+ ([4] 2+ ) and cis -[Ru II ( N HC 6 H 3 (4-CH 3 ) N C 6 H 4 (4-CH 3 ))(bpy) 2 ] 2+ ([5] 2+ ), respectively, through an N-C bond formation between two aniline ligands cis -coordinated to the ruthenium center.