In the burgeoning efforts of collecting solar energy for power generation, [1] the development of rechargeable solar thermal batteries containing photochromic molecules capable of reversible photoisomerization is receiving increasing scrutiny. [2] Among them, organometallic compounds show particular promise, because of their complementary potential for steric and electronic tunability. [3] In this regard, an intriguing system with which to illustrate the concept is the robust photothermal fulvalene (Fv) diruthenium couple 1Q2 (Scheme 1). [4] Initially assumed to occur by a concerted pathway, a recent study of the heat releasing step 2 a!1 a pinpointed a stepwise trajectory. Its salient features (Figure 1, black solid line) consist of a pre-equilibrium of 2 a (20.8 kcal mol À1 ) with anti biradical B (38.8 kcal mol À1 ) by initial cyclopentadienyl (Cp) coupling (transition state, TS, C, 43.2 kcal mol À1 ), subsequent rate-determining CpRu(CO) 2 rotation (TS A, 50.5 kcal mol À1 ), and Ru-Ru bond formation to give 1 a (0.0 kcal mol À1 ). [5] The relative difficulty of anti to syn biradical rotation and the ease with which B proceeds to 2 a (DH°= 4.4 kcal mol À1 ) prompted a reconsideration of the mechanism of the photostorage step. Originally, [4a] the normally expected Ru-Ru photodissociation [6] was discounted, because added CCl 4 (1m) had no effect on the outcome of the photorearrangement, leading again to the postulate of a concerted process. However, the effortless step B!2 a makes B a viable photointermediate, provided that it Scheme 1. Photoisomerization of fulvalene(tetracarbonyl)diruthenium at ! 350 nm and its thermal reversal. Irradiation 300 nm causes decarbonylation. [4a] [*] Dr.