The reaction of the thiosulfonato complexes [(p-cym)Ru(bipy)(S-SO(2)R)](+) (R = Ph, p-Tol) with the thiolates R'S(-) (R' = alkyl or aryl) leads to S-S bond cleavage and to the quantitative formation of the corresponding disulfanido derivatives [(p-cym)Ru(bipy)(S-SR')](+). The aryldisulfanido complexes also react with benzyl thiolate by S-S bond cleavage to give [(p-cym)Ru(bipy)(SSCH(2)Ph)](+).