Photolysis of the doubly bridged dicyclopenta 4) affords only 1a. Unlike the case for the doubly bridged complexes, photolysis of the singly bridged dicyclopentadienyl dimethyl diruthenium complexes [(η 5 -C 5 H 4 ) 2 (EMe 2 )]-Ru 2 (CO) 4 Me 2 (E = C (5a); E = Si (5b)) in benzene yields the corresponding "twisted" ruthenium methyl complexes with a cyclopentadienyl−Ru σ bond (η 5 ,η 5 :η 1 -C 5 H 4 (EMe 2 )C 5 H 3 )[Ru(CO) 2 ][Ru(CO) 2 Me] (6a,b) and the similar phenyl complexes (η 5 ,η 5 :η 1 -C 5 H 4 (EMe 2 )C 5 H 3 )[Ru(CO) 2 ][Ru(CO) 2 Ph] (7a,b), from reaction with the benzene solvent. Plausible mechanisms for the formation of the different types of products are proposed involving intramolecular C−H bond activation. The molecular structures of 2a,c, 3a,c, 4, 5a, 6a, and 7b, determined by X-ray diffraction, are also presented.