A new copolymer (RuB-PSS) of ruthenium(II)bis-(2,2 0 -bipyridine)(4-vinyl 2,2 0 -bipyridine) and styrene sulfonate was prepared which tethers the ruthenium chromophore directly to the polymer backbone. The photophysical properties of the copolymer, and its luminescence quenching by viologens, were compared with those of ruthenium (II) influence forward-and reverse-electron transfer reactions depending on the charge and hydrophobicity of the reactants. In the context of small molecule binding, we find that PSS provides a tenable model for DNA.