Ru(II) complexes with chelating ligands, 4',5'-ethylenedithiotetrathiafulyenyl[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (L1), 1,3-dithiole-2-thiono[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (L2), and 1,3-dithiole-2-ono[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (L3), have been prepared and their structural, electrochemical, and photophysical properties investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the highest occupied molecular orbital of [Ru(bpy)(2)(L1)](PF6)(2) (1) is located on the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) subunit and appears,similar to 0.6 eV above the three Ru-centered d orbitals. In agreement with this finding, 1 exhibits three reversible oxidations: the two at lower potentials take place on the TTF subunit, and the one at higher potential is due to the Ru3+/Ru2+ redox couple. Complexes [Ru(bpy)(2)(L2)](PF6)(2) (2) and [Ru(bpy)(2)(L3)](PF6)(2) (3) exhibit only the Ru3+/Ru2+-related oxidation. The optical absorption spectra of all complexes reveal a characteristic metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) band centered around 450 am. In addition, in the spectrum of 1 the MLCT band is augmented by a low-energy tail that extends beyond 500 nm and is attributed to the intraligand charge transfer (ILCT) transition of L1, according to time-dependent DFT calculations. The substantial decrease in the luminescence quantum yield of 1 compared to those of 2 and 3 is attributed to the reductive quenching of the emissive state via electron transfer from the TTF subunit to the Ru3+ center, thus allowing nonradiative relaxation to the ground state through the lower-lying ILCT state. In the presence of O-2, complex 1 undergoes a photoinduced oxidative cleavage of the central C=C bond of the TTF fragment, resulting in complete transformation to 3. This photodegradation process was studied with C-13 NMR and optical absorption spectroscopy.