Reduction of Ru(acac) in the presence of alkenes affords the related diolefin complexes.

The complex is prepared by reduction of anhydrous nickel(II) acetylacetonate in the presence of the diolefin:

The colourless diolefin complex dichloro(cycloocta-1,5-diene)platinum(II) is a more modern relative, and is more widely used.