Assembling molecular electronic devices into integrated circuits (ICs) represents a powerful approach towards the ultimate structural miniaturization and functional integration of IC devices for the future. We report the complexation of a 2,4,9-trithiaadmantane (2,4,9-trithia-tricyclo(3.3.1.1^3,7)decane) anchored phenylacetylenic molecular wire to a triruthenium metal cluster to form an archetypal metal-molecule-metal junction. Molecule represents a “freestanding molecular wire” that coordinates to a metal surface by tridentate complexation, and the triruthenium metal cluster mimics the (1,1,1) facet of a hexagonal packed metal surface of the metal electrode contacts. This minimum model of a molecular wire junction allows us to conduct systematic structure and property characterizations of the same prototypical molecular electronic devices in gas phase, solution and the solid state for the first time.