W(VI) forms moderately stable, five-membered ring chelates of the composition WR2 with thioglycolic and glycolic acid, and a very weak WR with glycine. Chelation with the six-ring forming 3-mercaptopropionic acid and o-mercaptobenzoic acid could not be detected. The chelate with thioglycolic acid crystallizes from methanol as the yellow sodium salt WO2(SCH2COONa)2·2CH3OH and can be extracted into butanol as an ion pair with diphenylguanidine. The photometric determination of tungsten with thioglycolic acid has a determination limit of {Mathematical expression} = 0.92 ppm W (P=99.9%;M=2) and a standard deviation s=0.24 ppmW (f=21). © 1979 Springer-Verlag.