Abstract: This invention relates to processes for the production of organometallic compounds represented by the formula M(L)3 wherein M is a Group VIII metal, e.g., ruthenium, and L is the same or different and represents a substituted or unsubstituted amidinato group or a substituted or unsubstituted amidinato-like group, which process comprises (i) reacting a substituted or unsubstituted metal source compound, e.g., ruthenium (II) compound, with a substituted or unsubstituted amidinate or amidinate-like compound in the presence of a solvent and under reaction conditions sufficient to produce a reaction mixture comprising said organometallic compound, e.g., ruthenium (III) compound, and (ii) separating said organometallic compound from said reaction mixture. The organometallic compounds are useful in semiconductor applications as chemical vapor or atomic layer deposition precursors for film depositions.

Abstract: A metal complex having a &bgr;-diketonate represented by the following formula (1): wherein M represents a metal atom of the VIII group, R1, R2 and R3 represent a group or an atom selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom; X−1 represents an ion selected from a halogen, nitric acid, sulfonic acid, fluoroboric acid, fluorophosphoric acid, or perchloric acid ion; L1 or L2 represents a 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline group where these groups may be substituted with a group or an atom selected from an alkyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom. A photoelectric conversion element and a photochemical cell using the above-mentioned metal complex.