The first transition-metal complexes bearing the natural product dihydroasparagusic acid, (HSCH2)(2)CHCO2H, as a ligand are reported. Various coordination modes and nuclearities are demonstrated for the chelating ligand by a series of iron and nickel complexes. Fe-2[(SCH2)(2)CHCO2H](CO)(6) retains carbonyl substitution reactivity typical of Fe2(SR)2(CO)6 complexes, yet carboxy coordination to Fe-I was unobserved. Coupling of the carboxylic acid with amines yields the corresponding amides Fe-2[(SCH2)(2)CHC(O)NHR](CO)(6) (R = Et, gly-O-tBu). Fe-2[(SCH2)(2)CHCO2H](CO)(4)(PMe3)(2) catalyzes H-2 production, but no better than unfunctionalized alkyl dithiolate analogs. Reactions of the ligand with NiCl2(dppe) afforded mono-, di-, and trinuclear complexes. Noteworthy is Ni-3[(SCH2)(2)CHCO2](2)(dppe)(2), which features an octahedrally coordinated Nirl center linked to a pair of square-planar Ni-II centers. (c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.