Abstract
The use of ruthenium complexes in the catalysis of controlled radical polymerisation is surveyed. The main classes of ruthenium catalysts are described and the relationship between the electronic and spatial structure of metal complexes and their efficiency in polymerisation is analysed. Attention is focused on the ways of increasing the catalytic activity of systems based on ruthenium compounds in the controlled synthesis of macromolecules and also on the analysis of possibilities of their use in the synthesis of new polymeric materials.