Chelating mono- and di-pyridyl functionalized 𝛽-diketones, viz. 1-phenyl-3-(2-pyridyl) propane-1,3-dione (pppdH) and 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)propane-1,3-dione ($dppdH$) ligands yielded new water soluble $\eta^6$-arene ruthenium(II) complexes of the formulation [($\eta^6$-arene)Ru($\kappa^2$-N-O-pppdH)Cl]⁺ (arene = C₆H₆ 1, p$^i$PrC₆H₄Me 2, C₆Me₆ 3) and [($\eta^6$-arene)₂Ru₂($\kappa^4$-N-O-$dppd$)Cl₂]⁺ (arene = C₆H₆ 4, 𝑝-$^i$PrC₆H₄Me 5, C₆Me₆ 6), as their (complexes 1-4, 6) PF₆ salt or (complex 5) BF₄ salt. The complexes were obtained by treatment of respective precursors, [($\eta^6$-arene)Ru(𝜇-Cl)Cl]₂ (arene = C₆H₆, 𝑝-$^i$PrC₆H₄Me, C₆Me₆) in 1:2 and 1:1 molar ratio with pppdH and $dppdH$ in the presence of NH₄PF₆/NH₄BF₄. All the complexes have been characterized on the basis of FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic data as well as by elemental analysis. Molecular structures of representative complexes 2, 5 and 6 have been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The `$O-C-C-C-O$' fragment of the coordinated ligand (pppdH) is neutral in complexes 1-3 and that of the $dppdH$ ligand existed as a neutral as well as concomitantly uninegative fashion in complexes 4-6 due to the delocalization of 𝜋-electrons.