A compound having formula: including hydrates, solvates, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein: M is selected from the group consisting of manganese, molybdenum, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, platinum, and copper; X is selected from the group consisting of Cl -, PF 6 -, Br -, BF 4 -, ClO 4 -, CF 3 SO 3 -, and SO 4 -2; n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5; y= 1, 2, or 3; z = 0, 1, or 2; Lig at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of and R 1 is selected from the group consisting of and u is an integer; R 2a, R 2b, R 2c, R 2d, R 2e, and R 2f at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C3-7 optionally substituted cycloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, CO 2 R 5, CONR 6 2, NR 7 2, sulfate, sulfonate, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted heteroaryl, and optionally substituted heterocycle; R 3a, R 3b, R 3c, R 3d, R 3e, R 3f, R 3g, R 3h R 3i, R 3j, R 3k, R 3l, and R 3m at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, and CO 2 R 8; R 4a, R 4b, and R 4c at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted cycloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, CO 2 R 5, CONR 6 2, NR 7 2, sulfate, sulfonate, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted heteroaryl, and optionally substituted heterocycle; R 4a and R 4b at each occurrence on a thiophene ring are taken together with the atom to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted ring having from 6 ring atoms containing 2 oxygen atoms; R 5 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 6 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 7 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 8 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; wherein the compound is not [2-(2-Thienyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline-κN7,κN8]bis(1,10-phenanthroline-κN1,κN10)-nickel(2+), and compounds of the following structures are excluded: and as well as compound C2 of the following formula M is selected from the group consisting of manganese, molybdenum, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, platinum, and copper; X is selected from the group consisting of Cl -, PF 6 -, Br -, BF 4 -, ClO 4 -, CF 3 SO 3 -, and SO 4 -2; n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5; y= 1, 2, or 3; z = 0, 1, or 2; Lig at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of and R 1 is selected from the group consisting of and u is an integer; R 2a, R 2b, R 2c, R 2d, R 2e, and R 2f at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C3-7 optionally substituted cycloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, CO 2 R 5, CONR 6 2, NR 7 2, sulfate, sulfonate, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted heteroaryl, and optionally substituted heterocycle; R 3a, R 3b, R 3c, R 3d, R 3e, R 3f, R 3g, R 3h R 3i, R 3j, R 3k, R 3l, and R 3m at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, and CO 2 R 8; R 4a, R 4b, and R 4c at each occurrence are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 optionally substituted alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted branched alkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted cycloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted haloalkyl, C1-6 optionally substituted alkoxy, CO 2 R 5, CONR 6 2, NR 7 2, sulfate, sulfonate, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted heteroaryl, and optionally substituted heterocycle; R 4a and R 4b at each occurrence on a thiophene ring are taken together with the atom to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted ring having from 6 ring atoms containing 2 oxygen atoms; R 5 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 6 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 7 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; R 8 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl; wherein the compound is not [2-(2-Thienyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline-κN7,κN8]bis(1,10-phenanthroline-κN1,κN10)-nickel(2+), and compounds of the following structures are excluded: and as well as compound C2 of the following formula