The physical and photophysical properties of a series of monometallic, Ru(bpy)(2)(dmb), Ru(bpy)(2)(BPY), Ru(bpy)(Obpy) and Ru(bpy)(2)(Obpy), and bimetallic, {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(BPY) and {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(Obpy), complexes are examined, where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, dmb is 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, BPY is 1,2-bis(4-methyl-2,2'-bipyridin-4'-yl)ethane, and Obpy is 1,2-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-yl)ethane. The complexes display metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions in the 450 nm region, intraligand pi --> pi transitions at energies greater than 300 nm, a reversible oxidation of the ruthenium(II) center in the 1.25-1.40 V vs SSCE region, a series of three reductions associated with each coordinated ligand commencing at -1.3 V and ending at approximately -1.9 V, and emission from a (3)MLCT state having energy maxima between 598 and 610 nm. The Ru(III)/Ru(II) oxidation of the two bimetallic complexes is a single, two one-electron process. Relative to Ru(bpy)(2)(BPY), the Ru(III)/Ru(II) potential for Ru(bpy)(2)(Obpy) increases from 1.24 to 1.35 V, the room temperature emission lifetime decreases from 740 to 3 ns, and the emission quantum yield decreases from 0.078 to 0.000 23. Similarly, relative to {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(BPY), the Ru(III)/Ru(II) potential for {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(Obpy) increases from 1.28 to 1.32 V, the room temperature emission lifetime decreases from 770 to 3 ns, and the room temperature emission quantum yield decreases from 0.079 to 0.000 26. Emission lifetimes measured in 4:1 ethanol:methanol were temperature dependent over 90-360 K. In the fluid environment, emission lifetimes display a biexponential energy dependence ranging from 100 to 241 cm(-)(1) for the first energy of activation and 2300-4300 cm(-)(1) for the second one. The smaller energy is attributed to changes in the local matrix of the chromophores and the larger energy of activation to population of a higher energy dd state. Explanations for the variations in physical properties are based on molecular mechanics calculations which reveal that the Ru-N bond distance increases from 2.05 Å (from Ru(II) to bpy and BPY) to 2.08 Å (from Ru(II) to Obpy) and that the metal-to-metal distance increases from approximately 7.5 Å for {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(Obpy) to approximately 14 Å for {Ru(bpy)(2)}(2)(BPY).