The heteroscorpionate ligand bis(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)dithioacetate (bdtbpzdta) has been synthesized by reacting bis(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)methane with n-BuLi and CS2. The ligand was isolated as [bis(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)dithioacetato](tetrahydrofuran)lithium(I) tetrahydrofuran monosolvate, [Li(C24H39N4S2)(C4H8O)]·C4H8O or [Li(bdtbpzdta)(THF)]·THF, in which the lithium cation is bound by the κ(3)N,N',S-coordinated heteroscorpionate ligand. A similar coordination mode is observed for a zinc chloride complex bearing the bdtbpzdta ligand, namely [bis(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)dithioacetato]chloridozinc(II), [Zn(C24H39N4S2)Cl] or [Zn(bdtbpzdta)Cl], which exhibits κ(3)N,N',S-coordination and resembles the active site of zinc-containing peptide deformylases (PDFs).