The syntheses of over sixty known and new derivatives of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ and H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₂ by substitution reactions initiated by sodium diphenylketyl are described. The range of ligands studied includes isocyanides, tertiary phosphines and phosphites, tertiary arsines and SbPh₃. The reactions are characterised by high degrees of specificity and conversion: under mild conditions up to four ligands can be introduced. Comparisons with the corresponding thermally induced reactions are made in several cases. The reactions provide routes to mixed ligand derivatives of the cluster carbonyls, although account of relative Lewis base strengths of the ligands may have to be taken. Possible mechanisms of these reactions are discussed briefly, as are the IR ν (CO) spectra of the Ru₃ (CO)12-nLn complexes.