Decarbonylation of acetone and carbonate at a pincer-ligated Ru center

A Ru center ligated by a pincer bis(o-phosphinoaryl)amine (PNP) ligand in (PNP)RuH(H-2) is sufficiently electron rich to break C-O and C-C bonds, resulting in the ultimate decarbonylation of hydrocarbonate and acetone, respectively, to give (PNP)RuH(CO). The decarbonylation of acetone is accompanied by hydrogenolysis of the C-C bonds to produce methane.