A mononuclear Ru(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex [Ru II(CO)2(κ2C,N-BIN)(H2O)Br] [OTf] (OTf = trifluoromethane sulphonate) (1) has been synthesized in high-yield by the oxidative cleavage of the metal-metal singly-bonded diruthenium(I) precursor [Ru2(CO)4(CH3CN)6(OTf) 2] with 1,8-naphthyridine functionalized NHC precursor 1-benzyl-3-(5,7-dimethyl-1,8-naphthyrid-2-yl)imidazolium bromide (BIN·HBr) at room temperature. Compound 1 catalyzes transfer hydrogenation of ketones to alcohols, and carbene-transfer from ethyl diazoacetate to a variety of substrates. It is shown to be an excellent catalyst for the insertion of carbene into the O-H and N-H bonds of alcohols and amines. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.