Extended, branched monomers possessing bipyridine moieties were synthesized by the use of high dilution conditions, then utilized in the assembly of macromolecular constructs. Dendrimers with four internal bipyridine units at precise locations within the superstructure were transformed into their [Ru(bpy')(bpy) 2 ] 2 (bpy 2,2'-bipyridine) complexes. The absorption spectra and cyclic voltammetry measurements of these polynuclear dendritic bipyridine ruthenium(ii) complexes were measured and used to confirm their composition.