Single-crystal-to-single-crystal nitro → nitrito isomerism is reported for the novel rheniumIJI)-bipyridine complex [ReIJOMe 2 -bpy)IJCO) 3 IJη 1 -NO 2 )], achieving a maximum conversion of 66% to a photoinduced nitrito-(η 1 -O _NO) isomer under continuous illumination. The 3D X-ray structure of the photoinduced isomer is determined by steady-state and psuedo-steady-state photocrystallographic methods, providing insight into the structural changes required to accommodate photoswitching. Photocrystallographic kinetic studies follow the progress of photoswitching with time, determining a reaction rate constant of k = 0.38(2) min −1 at 150 K. Linkage isomerism is fully-reversible on warming, and pseudo-steady-state experiments confirm that the photoexcited state is retained, at measurable occupancy, up to a temperature of 240 K. These results confirm the validity of combining photoactive linkage isomer and ReIJI) photocatalyst chemistries, and the detailed determination of the photoexcited state structure will facilitate the future design of new photoactive ReIJI) crystals for a range of applications.5990 | CrystEngComm, 2018, 20, 5990-5997 This journal is Fig. 1 Single-crystal X-ray structure of the GS of 1 at 150 K. (a) Atomic connectivity in the asymmetric unit, ellipsoids at 50% probability, hydrogen atoms removed for clarity; (b) crystal packing arrangement; (c) C-H⋯O interactions involving the nitro-NO 2 ligand. CrystEngComm Paper