A series of mononuclear ruthenium complexes containing pyridine- and pyrimidine-2-thiolato ligands was prepared and characterized. The new compounds of general formula CpRu(PPh3)(kappa S-2,N-SR) (1) (SR = pyridine-2-thiolate (a), pyrimidine-2-thiolate (b)) were prepared directly by reacting the thiolato anions (RS-) with CpRu(PPh3)(2)Cl- Complexes 1 readily react with NOBF4 or CO in THF at room temperature to give [CpRu(PPh3)(NO)(kappa S-1-HSR)][BF4](2) (2) and CpRu(PPh3)(CO)(kappa S-1-SR) (3), respectively. The one-pot reaction of CpRu(PPh3)(2)Cl, thiolato anions and bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) gave CpRu(dppe)(kappa S-1-SR) [dppe: Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2 (4)]. The complex salts, [CpRu(PPh3)(2)(kappa S-1-HSR)]BPh4 (5) are prepared by mixing CpRu(PPh3)(2)Cl, HSR and NaBPh4 at room temperature. The structures of CpRu(PPh3)(kappa S-2,N-Spy) (1a), [CpRu(PPh3)(NO)(kappa S-1-HSpy)][BF4](2) (2a) and CpRu(PPh3)(CO)(kappa S-1-Spy) (3a), (py = C5H4N) have been determined. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.