A compound having the general Formula or: wherein L is a N-containing heterocyclic carbene ligand; M is ruthenium or osmium; X is selected from the group consisting of -CN, -N 3, -NCO, -CNO, -NCS, and-NCSe; Y is S, Se, or Te; W is aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl, wherein the aryl, alkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl is optionally substituted with 1-5 independent CF 3, NO 2, halo, CN, -C -R, -C OR, alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl; R is optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl; each L 1 is independently halo, N, S, or O; each Z is independently absent or alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and each R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, or R 1 and R 2 taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl, wherein any substituents are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halogen, haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, alkoxy, aryloxy, hydroxyl, hydroxylalkyl, oxo (i.e., carbonyl), carboxyl, formyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, aryloxycarbonyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxycarbonyl, thio, mercapto, mercaptoalkyl, arylsulfonyl, amino, aminoalkyl, dialkylamino, alkylcarbonylamino, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylcarbonyl, or arylamino-substituted aryl; arylalkylamino, aralkylaminocarbonyl, amido, alkylaminosulfonyl, arylaminosulfonyl, dialkylaminosulfonyl, alkylsulfonylamino, arylsulfonylamino, imino, carbamido, carbamyl, thioureido, thiocyanato, sulfoamido, sulfonylalkyl, sulfonylaryl, mercaptoalkoxy, N-hydroxyamidinyl, and N'-aryl, N"-hydroxyamidinyl. L is a N-containing heterocyclic carbene ligand; M is ruthenium or osmium; X is selected from the group consisting of -CN, -N 3, -NCO, -CNO, -NCS, and-NCSe; Y is S, Se, or Te; W is aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl, wherein the aryl, alkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl is optionally substituted with 1-5 independent CF 3, NO 2, halo, CN, -C -R, -C OR, alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl; R is optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl; each L 1 is independently halo, N, S, or O; each Z is independently absent or alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and each R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, or R 1 and R 2 taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl, wherein any substituents are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halogen, haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, alkoxy, aryloxy, hydroxyl, hydroxylalkyl, oxo (i.e., carbonyl), carboxyl, formyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, aryloxycarbonyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxycarbonyl, thio, mercapto, mercaptoalkyl, arylsulfonyl, amino, aminoalkyl, dialkylamino, alkylcarbonylamino, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylcarbonyl, or arylamino-substituted aryl; arylalkylamino, aralkylaminocarbonyl, amido, alkylaminosulfonyl, arylaminosulfonyl, dialkylaminosulfonyl, alkylsulfonylamino, arylsulfonylamino, imino, carbamido, carbamyl, thioureido, thiocyanato, sulfoamido, sulfonylalkyl, sulfonylaryl, mercaptoalkoxy, N-hydroxyamidinyl, and N'-aryl, N"-hydroxyamidinyl.