To obtain further insight into the new ruthenium-catalyzed reaction of carbon–hydrogenbonds in aromatic ketones with olefins, the effect of various substituents at the aromatic ring is examined. Reaction of o-methylacetophenone with triethoxyvinylsilane (2) in the presence of [Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)3] (3)as the catalyst gave the 1 : 1 addition product in quantitative yield. Similarly, the ketone having