Here we focus on charge and electron transfer steps for the activation of the Ru-CTF, which are critical for the overall photocatalytic performance. Both the low photoluminescence quenching efficiency of the SEA regarding CTF and the extremely efficient one displayed by the Ru-CTF material indicate that, upon excitation, the primary reaction involves an intramolecular electron transfer (iET) from the excited states of CTF-moiety to the Ru center/complex bonded to the dangling pyridyl ligand in a time scale faster than 40 ps.