Aminocyclopentadienyl ruthenium complexes,[(η5-C5H4NMe2) Ru (PPh3) 2 (CH3CN)]+ BF4− and [(η5-C5H4NEt2) Ru (PPh3) 2 (CH3CN)]+ BF4−, are moderately active catalysts for α-alkylation of arylacetonitriles with primary alcohols; on the other hand, the analogous unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ruthenium complex [(η5-C5H5) Ru (PPh3) 2 (CH3CN)]+ BF4− shows very low catalytic activity. On the basis of experimental results and theoretical ...