The thermal reaction of Ru3(CO)12 (1) with salicylic acid, in the presence of triphenylphosphine, pyridine, or dimethylsulfoxide, afforded the dinuclear complexes Ru2(CO)4(μ-O2CC6H4OH)2L2 (2) [L = PPh3 (2a). C5H5N (2b); (CH3)2SO (2c)]. Complex 2b was further reacted with the aromatic dimmines 2,2′-dipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline to give the cationic diruthenium complexes [Ru2(CO)2(μ-CO)2(μ-O2CC6H4OH)(N∩N)2]+ (3) [(N∩N) = 2,2′-dipyridine (3a); 1,10-phenanthroline (3b)], which were isolated as their tetraphenylborate salts. All five novel complexes were characterized spectroscopically and analytically. For 2a–2b and 3a–3b, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies were also carried out. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim