Syntheses of Ru(4,4 '-zincporphynyl-bipyridine)(3) (1) and Ru(4,4 '-aminomethyl-bipyridine)(3) (2) complexes are reported. The two octahedral complexes interact strongly each other by tritopic coordination of three amino groups to three zincporphyrin moieties. The remaining three amino groups and three zincporphyrin moieties can be used for further intermolecular organization to give linear 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of 1 and 2, depending on their relative molar ratios. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.