The highly solvatochromic title complex comprises a donor diaminobenzene unit (OPDA) linked to an acceptor ruthenium benzoquinonediimine (BQDI) unit. Hydrogen bond donor and acceptor solvents influence the extent to which the amino group lone pairs inject charge into the OPDA ring. The ligand tends toward planarity when the lone pairs conjugate with the OPDA ring and twists when the lone pairs are removed from conjugation by hydrogen bonding to the solvent. The electronic spectra in these two extreme situations are very different due to large changes in the oscillator strengths of certain transitions. Extended Huckel calculations with charge iteration provide a means for calculating these oscillator strengths and for providing a picture of the metal to ligand and internal OPDA to BQDI charge transfer which occurs. A ZINDO/1 geometry optimization provides additional evidence for the model developed.