A study of the effect of the nature of the solvent on the b1* → b1] LMCT oscillator strength of the complex [(NH3)5Ru((2,3-dichlorophenyl)cyanamide(1-))][ClO4]2 is reported. A plot of LMCT oscillator strength vs donor number gives a linear relationship with intercept 0.186, slope -0.00294/DN, and R = 0.998. Weak and strong coupling approaches to donor and acceptor interactions are used to evaluate this novel effect. The strong coupling approach, in which oscillator strength is proportional to the square of the donor and acceptor wave function overlap, appears to be consistent with all experimental data. Thus, the outer-sphere hydrogen-bonding interactions of the donor solvent with the ammine protons perturbs the ruthenium(III) π-acceptor wave function, reducing its overlap with the π-donor wave function of the cyanamide group. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.