The photophysical and photochemical properties of a series of rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes with photoisomerizable ligands (styryl and azobenzene substituted 2,2'-bipyridines (bpy); a pyridyl substituted dithienylperfluorocyclopentene (py-DTPCP)) are reported. A complex with a 4,4'-distyryl-bpy ligand exhibits photoswitchable luminescence, but decomposes over time when exposed to the UV wavelengths required for trans <----> cis photoisomerization of the styryl moieties. A rhenium(I) tricarbonyl 1, 10-phenanthroline(phen) complex with the py-DTPCP ligand in its open form exhibits yellow Re(I)-phen MLCT luminescence. Upon 350-nm irradiation, py-DTPCP photocyclizes, thereby quenching the MLCT emission; 620-nm light triggers the reverse reaction, and the luminescence is fully recovered. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.