The tetradentate ligand 2,9-di-(2'-pyridyl)-1,10-phenanthroline is synthesized in 62% yield by the Stille coupling of 2,9-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline and 2-(tri-n-butylstannyl)pyridine. Treatment of this ligand with RuCl3.3H2O and a 4-substituted pyridine results in the formation of a complex in which the tetradentate ligand occupies the equatorial plane and two pyridines are bound axially. The interior N-Ru-N angles vary from 76.1 degrees to 125.6 degrees , showing considerable distortion from the 90 degrees ideal. The lowest energy electronic transition is sensitive to the electronegativity of the 4-substituent on the axial pyridines, varying from 516 nm for the CF3 group to 580 nm for the NMe2. The oxidation potentials mirror this trend, spanning a range of 1.36-1.03 V, while the reduction potentials show less variation (-0.97 to -1.08 V). The complexes are nonemissive, presumably due to competitive nonradiative processes caused by distortion of the system.