Spontaneous decarboxylation of RCCCO 2 H (R = H, Ph) occurs in reactions with RuCl(PP)Cp (PP = (PPh 3 ) 2 , dppe) to give [Ru(CCHR)(PP)-Cp] + . Computational studies (DFT) of possible decarboxylation mechanisms suggest that the reaction that leads to extrusion of CO 2 and formation of [Ru(C CH 2 )(dppe)Cp] + most likely occurs by initial interaction of the anion HCCCO 2 − with RuCl(dppe)Cp by coordination of carboxylate to Ru, followed by formation of an η 2 -alkyne intermediate which rearranges to the η 1 -ethynyl species with loss of CO 2 . Protonation of the ethynyl group affords the parent vinylidene. In contrast, reactions of HCCCO 2 R (R = Me, Et) with RuCl(PP)Cp and [NH 4 ]PF 6 in MeOH have given [Ru{C(OMe)CH 2 (CO 2 R)}(PP)Cp] + , formed by attack of MeOH at C α of the intermediate vinylidenes [Ru{C CH(CO 2 R)}(PP)Cp] + . Deprotonation of the carbenes affords Ru{C(OMe)CH(CO 2 R)}(PP)Cp as mixtures of cis and trans isomers. The vinylidenes, which are obtained directly from RuCl(PP)Cp and HCCCO 2 R in the presence of [NH 4 ]PF 6 in Bu t OH, can be deprotonated (Na/Pr i OH) to the corresponding alkynyls. Attempted deprotonation of [Ru(C CH 2 )(dppe)Cp] + with LiBu gave the binuclear cyclobutenylidinium complex [{Ru(dppe)Cp} 2 (μ-C 4 H 3 )] + . The X-ray diffraction molecular structures of [{Ru(dppe)Cp} 2 (μ-C 4 H 3 )]PF 6 (11), [Ru{C(OMe)CH 2 (CO 2 Me)}(dppe)Cp]PF 6 (13), Ru{C-(OMe)CH(CO 2 R)}(dppe)Cp (R Me (15), Et (16)) and Ru(CCCO 2 R)(dppe)Cp (R = Me (21), Et (22)) are described.