The wide use of the ligand 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone (maltol) in bioinorganic chemistry has prompted an effort to further exploit this ligand class by achieving an efficient, one-step synthesis of the chelator 3- hydroxy-2-methyl-4-thiopyrone (thiomaltol). Complexes of thiomaltol with nickel(II) and iron(III) have been prepared and studied by using UV-visible spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. In addition, both complexes as well as the free thiomaltol ligand have been structurally characterized by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The ligand is found to exert a strong trans influence on the structure of the complexes in the solid state with the nickel(II) and iron(III) complexes demonstrating a cis and fac geometry, respectively. The compounds described here should significantly expand the scope and utility of O,S-donor ligands derived from maltol and related precursors.