Treatment of [(eta(6)-p-cymene)RuCl(mu-Cl)](2) with Lawesson's reagent [ArP(S)(mu-S)](2) (Ar = p-C6H4OMe) in the presence of ammonium hydroxide afforded the dinuclear complex [(eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru{mu-eta(1)(S),eta(2)(S,S')-ArP(O)S-2}](2) (1) in which the tripodal [ArP(O)S-2](2) ligands bind to the ruthenium atom in both bridging and chelating modes with two non-coordinating P=O groups. Interaction of [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)(3)] with [ArP(S)(mu-S)](2) and bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) in the presence of ammonium hydroxide gave the dinuclear complex [Ru(CO){mu(3)-eta(1)(O),eta(2)(S,S')-ArP(O)S-2}(dppm)](2) (2) in which the tripodal [ArPOS2](2) ligands bind the two Ru atoms via both sulfur and oxygen atoms. Treatment of [Ru(PPh3)(3)Cl-2] with [ArP(S)(mu-S)](2) at reflux in the presence of ammonium hydroxide led to the formation of the dinuclear mixed valence complex [Ru2Cl2(mu-S){mu(3)-eta(1)(O),eta(1)(S),-eta(2)(S,S')-ArP(O)S-2}(PPh3)(3)] (3), which contains a [Ru-II(PPh3)(2)Cl](+) and [Ru-IV(PPh3)Cl](3+) moieties by the tripodal [ArPOS2](2) ligand in a mu(3)-eta(1)(O),eta(1)(S),eta(2)(S,S') coordination mode and the mu-S-2 anion. The crystal structures of 1, 2, and 3 center dot CH2Cl2 along with their spectroscopic and electrochemical properties are reported. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.