Conductances were measured for mixed-valent electropolymerized films of transition-metal complexes of the type [M(v-bpy)n(L)m] (M = Os, Ru, Fe, Co; v-bpy = 4-vinyl-4′-methyl-2,2′-bipyridine; L = cyano, phenanthroline derivatives). Trends in conductance were attributed to the size of the metal center, back-bonding ability of the ligands, and the distance between localized states. The mechanism of the charge transport was investigated by examining the effects of temperature, solvent, and electrolyte on the conductances. The results suggest two possible mechanisms of charge propagation dependent on electron motion from either metal-or ligand-localized orbitals. Solvent effects paralleled outer-sphere electron transfer in solution as described by the Marcus theory. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.