A wide variety of ruthenium porphyrin carbene complexes, including [Ru(tpfpp)(CR(1)R(2))] (CR(1)R(2) = C(p-C(6)H(4)Cl)(2) 1 b, C(p-C(6)H(4)Me)(2) 1 c, C(p-C(6)H(4)OMe)(2) 1 d, C(CO(2)Me)(2) 1 e, C(p-C(6)H(4)NO(2))CO(2)Me 1 f, C(p-C(6)H(4)OMe)CO(2)Me 1 g, C(CH==CHPh)CO(2)CH(2)(CH==CH)(2)CH(3) 1 h), [Ru(por)(CPh(2))] (por=tdcpp 2 a, 4-Br-tpp 2 b, 4-Cl-tpp 2 c, 4-F-tpp 2 d, tpp 2 e, ttp 2 f, 4-MeO-tpp 2 g, tmp 2 h, 3,4,5-MeO-tpp 2 i), [Ru(por)[C(Ph)CO(2)Et]] (por=tdcpp 2 j, tmp 2 k), [Ru(tpfpp)(CPh(2))(L)] (L = MeOH 3 a, EtSH 3 b, Et(2)S 3 c, MeIm 3 d, OPPh(3) 3 e, py 3 f), and [Ru(tpfpp)[C(Ph)CO(2)R](MeOH)] (R = CH(2)CH==CH(2) 4 a, Me 4 b, Et 4 c), were prepared from the reactions of [Ru(por)(CO)] with diazo compounds N(2)CR(1)R(2) in dichloromethane and, for 3 and 4, by further treatment with reagents L. A similar reaction of [Os(tpfpp)(CO)] with N(2)CPh(2) in dichloromethane followed by treatment with MeIm gave [Os(tpfpp)(CPh(2))(MeIm)] (3 d-Os). All these complexes were characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and UV/Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses. X-ray crystal structure determinations of 1 d, 2 a,i, 3 a, b, d, e, 4 a-c, and 3 d-Os revealed Ru==C distances of 1.806(3)-1.876(3) A and an Os==C distance of 1.902(3) A. The structure of 1 d in the solid state features a unique "bridging" carbene ligand, which results in the formation of a one-dimensional coordination polymer. Cyclic voltammograms of 1 a-c, g, 2 a-d, g-k, 3 b-d, 4 a, b, and 3 d-Os show a reversible oxidation couple with E(1/2) values in the range of 0.06-0.65 V (vs Cp(2)Fe(+/0)) that is attributable to a metal-centered oxidation. The influence of carbene substituents, porphyrin substituents, and trans-ligands on the Ru==C bond was examined through comparison of the chemical shifts of the pyrrolic protons in the porphyrin macrocycles ((1)H NMR) and the M==C carbon atoms ((13)C NMR), the potentials of the metal-centered oxidation couples, and the Ru==C distances among the various ruthenium porphyrin carbene complexes. A direct comparison among iron, ruthenium, and osmium porphyrin carbene complexes is made.