The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of 5-bromo-2,2'-bipyridine and 5,5'-
dibromo-2,2'-bipyridine with phenylacecylene leads to 2 and 3, and the reac
tion of 5-ethinyl-2,2'-ethinyl-2,2'-bipyridine with 1,4-diiodo-2,5-dibutylo
xybenzene provides 4. Ruthenium complexes were prepared by reaction of the
ligands 2-4 with [Ru(bpy)(2)Cl-2]. The ligands 2 and 4 show a fluorescence
quantum yield near 100%. Further photophysical properties of the ligands an
d their ruthenium complexes were given.