New, Highly Efficient, Simple, Safe, and Scalable Synthesis of [(Ph3P)3Ru(CO)(H)2]

A new method has been developed to prepare [(Ph3P)3Ru­(CO)­(H)2] (1), an important homogeneous catalyst, directly from RuCl3·xH2O. Unlike previously reported procedures to make 1, the new method does not utilize toxic and hazardous materials such as formaldehyde and benzene and requires only a small excess of PPh3, while furnishing analytically and spectroscopically pure 1 in unprecedented >95% yield. The solvent (EtOH) is used in small quantities, thereby enabling scalability, as has been demonstrated by preparing >17 g of pure 1 in one batch.