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We report the excited-state behavior of a structurally simple bis -sulfoxide complex, cis -S,S-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ , as investigated by femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy. The results reveal that a single photon prompts phototriggered isomerization of one or both dmso ligands to yield a mixture of cis -S,O-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ and cis -O,O-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ . The quantum yields of isomerization of each product and relative product distribution are dependent upon the excitation wavelength, with longer wavelengths favoring the double isomerization product, cis -O,O-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ . Transient absorption measurements on cis -O,O-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ do not reveal an excited-state isomerization pathway to produce either the S,O or S,S isomers. Femtosecond pulse shaping experiments reveal no change in the product distribution. Pump–repump–probe transient absorption spectroscopy of cis -S,S-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ shows that a pump–repump time delay of 3 ps dramatically alters the S,O : O,O product ratio; pump–repump–probe transient absorption spectroscopy of cis -O,O-[Ru(bpy) 2 (dmso) 2 ] 2+ with a time delay of 3 ps uncovers an excited-state isomerization pathway to produce the S,O isomer. In conjunction with low-temperature steady-state emission spectroscopy, these results are interpreted in the context of an excited-state bifurcating pathway, in which the isomerization product distribution is determined not by thermodynamics, but rather as a dynamics driven reaction.