Reaction of the well-known precursors [Cp*RuCl] 4 (1) and [Cp*RuCl 2 ] 2 (2) with the silyl-diene compound CH 2 dCHCHdCHCH 2 SiMe 3 (3), in THF, results in the selective formation of [Cp*Ru(η 4 -CH 2 CHCHCHCH 2 SiMe 3 )Cl] (4) from the diamagnetic tetramer 1, while the reaction of dimer 2 leads to nonselective reactions with the formation of 4, [Cp*Ru(η 3 -CH 2 CHCHCHCH 2 )Cl 2 ] (5), and [Cp*Ru(η 3 -CH 2 CHCHCHCHSiMe 3 )Cl 2 ] (6). Reaction of 2 with 3, in ethanolic solution at room temperature, provided a preparative route to the corresponding diene 4 and the allyl ruthenium(IV) complex 5. Compound 4, in the presence of chloroform, affords 6, and recrystallization of 5 with CH 2 Cl 2 /hexane affords [Cp*Ru(η 3 -CH 2 CHCHEt)Cl 2 ] (7), but contrastingly, the manipulation of compound 5 in plates of silica gel affords [Cp*Ru(η 4 -CH 2 CHCHCHCH 2 OH)Cl] (8). A CDCl 3 or C 6 D 6 solution of 8 in the presence of traces of oxygen affords Cp*Ru(η 4 -CH 2 CHCHCHCHO)Cl ( 9), which slowly decomposes to liberate 2,4-pentadienal in the reaction media, along with unknown Cp*Ru species. A comparative study is established between the chemical reactivity of 1 and 2 toward the trimethylsilylpentadiene and the corresponding analogous trimethylsilyl-substituted dienyloxy ligands. Some representative crystalline structures of compounds 4, 6, and 8 were determined by X-ray crystallography.⊥ Dedicated to Professor Heinrich Nöth, friend and colleague, on the occasion of his 80th birthday and in recognition of his seminal contributions in chemistry.