Self-assembly of supramolecules with helical structures has been one of the focuses in supramolecular chemistry. 1 The general synthetic strategy involves the use of multidentate ligands to wrap around one or more metal centers to produce single-, 2-4 double-, 5-8 and triple-stranded 9-15 metal helicates. We have tried a different approach in which smaller building blocks of metal complexes containing only bidentate ligands are linked together to form the desired supramolecular structure. In this work, the synthesis of a triple-stranded ruthenium helicate, {[Ru(py-pz ) 3 ] 2 Cu 3 }(ClO 4 ) (2), from [Ru(py-pzH) 3 ]-(ClO 4 ) 2 (1) (where py-pzH ) 3-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazole) and Cu-(ClO 4 ) 2 is reported.The coordination chemistry of the 3-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazole (py-pzH) ligand and its analog has been studied by a number of researchers. 16 Complex 1 was synthesized from py-pzH 17 and RuCl 3 ‚3H 2 O. 18 An acetonitrile solution of 1 shows three absorption bands at 400 nm ( ) 1.74 × 10 4 M -1 cm -1 ), 279 nm ( ) 5.05 × 10 4 M -1 cm -1 ), and 243 nm ( ) 5.00 × 10 4 M -1 cm -1 ), in the UV-vis spectrum. The first absorption is the MLCT transition, while the last two are intraligand in origin. The MLCT band is red-shifted to 430 nm ( ) 1.08 × 10 4 M -1 cm -1 ) upon deprotonation of the pyrazole by the addition of 3 equiv of triethylamine. Such lowering in MLCT energies has also been reported by Meyer et al. in their studies of pyrazole/ pyrazolyl complexes of ruthenium(II). 19 It was concluded that the pyrazolyl moiety possessed much better π-donating ability comparing to that of the pyrazole ligand.Complex 1, after deprotonation by the addition of excess NEt 3 , reacts with Cu(I) or Cu(II) ions in methanol to give a supramolecular structure containing two tris(3-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazolyl)ruthenium(II) units linked together by three Cu(I) ions: 20 The structure of 2 is shown in Figure 1. 21 2 possesses a C 3 rotation axis. Each Ru center is coordinated to three 3-(pyridin-

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