TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation: No preparation method is given. Preferred Definitions:    M = Ru(II) or Os(II);    A1, A2 = COOH, -COON(C4H9)4, -PO(OH)2, provided that any one of A1 and A2 is different from H;    X = NCS or CN; and    Y4 = (2,2')bipyridinyl group (IVb-1), (1,10)phenanthroline group (IVb-2), 2-pyridin-2-yl-quinoline group (IVb-3), H2N-CH(R16)-CH(R17)-NH2 or R16-NH-(CH2)2-NH-R17.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 16 Compounds (I) are disclosed e.g. ruthenium (4,4'-dicarboxy-4''-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(2,2'-bipyridine)(thiocyanato), ruthenium (4,4'-dicarboxy-4"-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(quinoxaline-2,3-dithiolate)(thiocyanato)(tetrabutylammonium)2, ruthenium (4,4'-dicarboxy-4"-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(oxalic acid)(thiocyanato)(tetrabutylammonium)2 and ruthenium (4,4'-dicarboxy-4"-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(ethylenediamine)(thiocyanato).    EXAMPLE - Ethyl alcohol (50 ml) and ruthenium trichloride (0.26 g) were reacted under argon. After the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes, a solution of 4,4',4"-trimethoxycarbonyl-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine (0.4 g) in dichloromethane (50 ml) was then added. The reaction mixture was refluxed for 2 hours under argon. The solution was concentrated to 20 ml, and the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature. The precipitated complex, ruthenium (4,4',4''-trimethoxycarbonyl-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine)trichloride was collected on a sintered glass crucible and washed with ethanol. 2,2'-Bipyridine (236 mu l) and triethylamine (0.5 ml) was added to a solution of ruthenium (4,4'-diethoxycarbonyl-4''-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)trichloride (300 mg) in methanol (100 ml). The reaction mixture was refluxed for 8 hours and the solvent was then allowed to evaporate on a rotary evaporator. The solid mass thus obtained was dissolved in dimethylformamide (30 ml) under nitrogen. An aqueous solution (5 ml) of sodium thiocyanate (300 mg) was added to this solution. After being refluxed for 8 hours, triethylamine (10 ml) was added, and the solution was refluxed for further 24 hours. The reaction mixture was allowed to cool, and the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator. The resulting solid was dissolved in 0.1 M aqueous sodium hydroxide and the product was precipitated by the addition of 0.1 M nitric acid. The resulting precipitate was filtered and dried. The isolated solid was recrystallized from methanol-diethyl ether, after which it was further purified to give ruthenium (4,4'-dicarboxy-4''-nonadecyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(2,2'-bipyridine)(thiocyanato).