AIC405 5 5HThe preparation and characterization of the salts [(NH3)sRu(L)RuCl(bipy)z](PF6)3 (L = pyrazine (pyz), 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE), and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (BPA)) are described. The 3+ dimeric ions undergo a reversible one-electron oxidation either chemically or electrochemically in acetonitrile giving the mixed-valence (Ru(II1)-Ru(I1)) ions, [(NH3)5Ru(L)RuCl(bipy)z]J+. In the mixed-valence ions, the site of oxidation is largely localized on the (NH3)5Rugroup. The twice-oxidized 5+ ions have also been shown to exist in solution using electrochemical methods. For the ions where the bridging ligand has an intact n= system (pyz, 4,4'-bipy, or BPE), the effects of weak metal-metal interactions are observed in spectral and reduction potential data and in the appearance of intervalence transfer bands for the mixed-valence ions. With BPA as the bridging ligand, the N-heterocyclic T systems are separated by the saturated -CH2-CH2-linkage, and no evidence for metal-metal electronic interactions has been obtained. From the properties of the intervalence transfer band for the mixed-valence pyrazine-bridged dimer, it can be estimated that electronic interactions in the ground state are lower by a factor of 3 than for the Creutz and Taube ion, [(NH3)5Ru(pyz)Ru(NH3)5]5+.