Ruthenium (Ru) polypyridyl complexes have been extensively used as optical probes, photoactivated anticancer agents, and photocages for biologically active ligands. In this study, Ru2+ polypyridyl complexes were investigated as photoreleasing agents for the H2S donor GYY4137. Four complexes of the general formula cis-[Ru(NN)2(GYY4137)]+, where NN = 2-2'-bipyridine (bpy), 2,2'-biquinoline (biq), 4,4'-methoxy-2,2'-bipyridine (dmobpy), and 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dtbpy), were synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The photochemical reactivity of these complexes was investigated, revealing that ligand photodissociation occurs in a two-step reaction. For these reactions, long-lived intermediates where the bidentate ligands attain a monodentate coordination mode could be detected. Furthermore, the ancillary diimine ligands dictated the identity of the final photoproducts observed,...