The electrochemical and photophysical properties of [(X-tpy)Ru
II(tpy-(fc)
2-tpy)Ru
II(X-tpy)]
4+ (tpy = terpyridyl; X = −H (
1a), −OCH
3 (
1b), −Cl (
1c); fc = ferrocenyl) and [(X-tpy)Ru
II(tpy-C
C-(fc)
2-C
C-tpy)Ru
II(X-tpy)]
4+ (X = −H (
2a), −OCH
3 (
2b), −Cl (
2c)) are described. The ground-state HOMO and LUMO energies were probed by electrochemical measurements. The excited-state photophysical properties were probed by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and luminescence spectroscopy. Complexes of
1a−
c are nonemissive (λ
exc 480–580 nm) in deoxygenated pure CH
3CN or H
2O/CH
3CN (4/1) solution at 25 °C. Complexes
2a−
c have room-temperature luminescence in H
2O/CH
3CN (4/1) solution. On comparison of the luminescent properties of
2b,
c with those of
2a, the attachment of −OCH
3 and −Cl substitutents causes a decrease of luminescence quantum yields and triplet lifetimes.