The rigid, aromatic bis-tridentate bridging ligand tetrapyrido[2,3-a: 3',2'-c:2 ",3 "-h:3''',2'''-j]phenazine (tpp) allowed the preparation of linear, stable bi-and tri-nuclear complexes of ruthenium(II) exhibiting low energy Ru --> tpp MLCT absorptions and a strong electronic coupling in the mixed-valence state.