The interaction of dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) with the sodium salts of various Schiff bases leads to complexes of the type trans-RuL(PPh3)2 for the quadridentate bifunctional ligands and RuL2(PPh3)2 for the bifunctional ligands. Interaction of the chloro-carbonyls, {Ru(CO)2Cl2}n or {Ru(CO)3Cl2}3, with the sodium salt of NN′-ethylenebis-(salicylideneimine), (sal2enH2), yields the pale yellow complex cis-Ru(sal2en)(CO)2. Interaction of the bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (norbornadiene) complex {Ru(nbd)Cl2}n with Na2(sal2en) yields Ru(sal2en)(nbd) which has a non-planar ligand structure. I.r. and 1H and 31P n.m.r. spectra of the various complexes are given and structures for the compounds proposed.