The complex [(eta(5)-C5H5)Ru(PPh3)(2)Cl] (1) reacts with several arylazoirnidazole (RaaiR') ligands, viz., 2-(phenylazo)imidazole (Phai-H), 1-methyl-2-(phenylazo)imidazole (Phai-Me), 1-ethyl-2-(phenylazo)imidazole (Phai-Et), 2-(tolylazo)imidazole (Tai-H), 1-methyl-2-(tolylazo)imidazole (Tai-Me) and 1-ethyl-2-(tolylazo)imidazole (Tai-Et), gave complexes of the type [(eta(5)-C5H5)Ru(PPh3)(RaaiR')](+) {where R, R' = H (2), R = H, R' = CH3 (3), R = H, R' = C2H5 (4), R = CH3, R'= H (5), R, R' = CH3 (6), R = CH3, R' = C2H5 (7)}. The complex [(eta(5)-C9H7)Ru(PPh3)(2)(CH3CN)](+) (8) undergoes reactions with a series of N,N-donor azo ligands in methanol yielding complexes of the type [(eta(5)-C9H7) Ru(PPh3)(RaaiR')](+) {where R, R' = H (9), R = H, R' = CH3 (10), R = CH3, R' = H (11), R = CH3, R' = C2H5 (12)}, respectively. These complexes were characterized by FT IR and FT NMR spectroscopy as well as by analytical data. The molecular structure of the complex [(eta(5) -C5H5)Ru(PPh3)(C6H5-N=N-C3H3N2)](+) (2) was established by single crystal X-ray diffraction study. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.