The reaction of a dinuclear tetrahydridoruthenium complex (eta(5)-C5Me5)Ru(mu-H)4Ru(eta(5)-C5Me5) (1) with 2 equiv of diphenylacetylene results in the formation of the dinuclear ruthenium dihydride complex (eta(5)-C5Me5)Ru(mu-H)2(mu-PhCCPh)Ru(eta(5)-C5Me5) (2), which contains a perpendicularly bridging diphenylacetylene ligand. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic system, in space group P1, with a = 10.284 (4) angstrom, b = 15.871 (4) angstrom, c = 10.286 (3) angstrom, alpha = 98.47 (3)-degrees, beta = 110.92 (2)-degrees, alpha = 98.22 (3)-degrees, V = 1515.8 (9) angstrom 3, and Z = 2. Anisotropic refinement of all atoms except hydrogen atoms converged to the residuals R = 0.0569 and R(w) = 0.0539 for 6177 reflections.