Abstract: | In the two ruthenium(II)–porphyrin–carbene complexes (dibenzoylcarbenyl‐κC)(pyridine‐κN)(5,10,15,20‐tetra‐p‐tolylporphyrinato‐κ4N)ruthenium(II), Ru(C15H10O2)(C5H5N)(C48H36N4)], (I), and (pyridine‐κN)(5,10,15,20‐tetra‐p‐tolylporphyrinato‐κ4N)bis(3‐trifluoromethylphenyl)carbenyl‐κC]ruthenium(II), Ru(C15H8F6)(C5H5N)(C48H36N4)], (II), the pyridine ligand coordinates to the octahedral Ru atom trans with respect to the carbene ligand. The C(carbene)—Ru—N(pyridine) bonds in (I) coincide with a crystallographic twofold axis. The Ru—C bond lengths of 1.877 (8) and 1.868 (3) Å in (I) and (II), respectively, are slightly longer than those of other ruthenium(II)–porphyrin–carbene complexes, owing to the trans influence of the pyridine ligands. |