Photodriven HCl splitting to produce solar fuels is an important goal that requires strong photo-oxidants capable of chloride oxidation. In a molecular approach toward this goal, three ruthenium compounds with 2,2'-bipyrazine backbones were found to oxidize chloride ions in acetone solution. Nanosecond transient absorption measurements provide compelling evidence for excited-state electron transfer from chloride to the Ru metal center with rate constants in excess of 10(10) M-1 s(-1). The Cl atom product was trapped with an olefin. This reactivity was promoted through pre-organization of ground-state precursors in ion pairs. Chloride oxidation with a tetra-cationic ruthenium complex was most favorable, as the dicationic complexes were susceptible to photochemical ligand loss. Marcus analysis afforded an estimate of the chlorine formal reduction potential E degrees(Cl-center dot/(-)) = 1.87 V vs NHE that is at least 300 meV more favorable than the accepted values in water.