Cyclometalated osmium complexes with the formulas [Os(ppy) 2(CO) 2] ( 1a, b), [Os(dfppy) 2(CO) 2] ( 2a, b), and [Os(btfppy) 2(CO) 2] ( 3a, b) have been synthesized, for which the chelating chromophores ppyH, dfppyH, and btfppyH denote 2-phenylpyridine, 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine, and 2-(2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine, respectively. The isomers 1a- 3a, possessing an intrinsic C 2 rotational axis as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, underwent slow isomerization in solution at elevated temperature, giving the respective thermodynamic products 1b- 3b, which showed a distinctive coordination arrangement produced by a 180 degrees rotation of one cyclometalated ligand around the Os(II) metal center. In contrast to the case for 1a, b and 2a, which are inert to substitution, complexes 2b and 3b (or 3a) readily react with PPh 2Me to afford the products [Os(dfppy) 2(CO)(PPh 2Me)] ( 4) and [Os(btfppy) 2)(PPh 2Me)] ( 6), in which the incoming PPh 2Me replaced the CO located trans to the carbon atom of one cyclometalated ligand. UV-vis and emission spectra were measured, revealing the lowest excited state for all complexes as a nominally ligand-centered (3)pipi* state mixed with certain MLCT character. Introduction of the electron-withdrawing substituents on the cyclometalated chelates or replacement of one CO ligand with phosphine at the metal center increased the MLCT contribution in the first excited state, giving a broad and featureless emission with greatly enhanced quantum yields.