The H-H distance of the dihydrogen ligand in [Ru(H H)(C(5)Me(5))(dppm)]BF4 is 1.08(3) Angstrom as determined by neutron diffraction on a crystal of volume 3.2 mm(3) at 15 K : monoclinic, space group P2(1), a 10.833(3), b = 15.045(4), c 10.781(2) Angstrom, beta = 114.47(2)degrees, V = 1599.3(7) Angstrom(3), and D-c = 1.473 g cm(-3) for Z = 2; R(F) = 0.071, R(F-2) = 0.151, R(W)(F-2) = 0.099 for 4198 reflections. The H-H distance, when corrected for the effects of thermal motion, lengthens slightly from 1.08(3) to 1.10(3) Angstrom. The complex contains an elongated dihydrogen ligand which is symmetrically, side-on bonded to the ruthenium as one leg of a three-legged piano stool structure. The H-2 ligand lies parallel to the C(5)Me(5) ligand plane, an orientation where pi-overlap with an a "d orbital on the metal is optimum. The T-1 NMR method gives an H-H distance of 1.10(1) Angstrom for the case of restricted rotation. The present structure provides a model for coordinated H-2 at an intermediate stage of oxidative addition. The (1)J(H,D) coupling in the Ru(H...D) isotopomer increases with decreasing temperature; this is interpreted as a slight shortening of the H-D distance. The structural and H-1 NMR data are compared for dihydrogen complexes which have been studied by single crystal neutron diffraction.