Ruthenium(III) chloride is widely used as a starting material of ruthenium complexes. It acts as a catalyst used in the oxidative cyclization of 1,7-dienes to oxepane diols. It is used in the hydroxylation of tertiary hydrocarbons in combination of periodate or bromate. It is involved as a catalyst in the synthesis of 2,3-pyridinedicarboxylic acid-13C3, 15N, where the unlabelled analog is an inhibitor of glucose synthesis.

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