Metal dithiolene complex

Dithiolene metal complexes are complexes containing 1,2-dithiolene ligands. 1,2-Dithiolene ligands, a particular case of 1,2-dichalcogenolene species along with 1,2-diselenolene derivatives, are unsaturated bidentate ligand wherein the two donor atoms are sulfur. 1,2-Dithiolene metal complexes are often referred to as "metal dithiolenes", "metallodithiolenes" or "dithiolene complexes". Most molybdenum- and tungsten-containing proteins have dithiolene-like moieties at their active sites, which feature the so-called molybdopterin cofactor bound to the Mo or W.

Dithiolene metal complexes have been studied since the 1960s when they were first popularized by Gerhard N. Schrauzer and Volker P. Mayweg, who prepared nickel bis(stilbene-1,2-dithiolate) (Ni(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂) by the reaction of nickel sulfide and diphenylacetylene. The structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties of many related complexes have been described.