The catalytic activity of molybdenum complexes in oxidation state +IV, +V, and +VI stabilized by a tetradentate dithiaalkanediyl-2,2′-bis(phenolato) (OSSO)-type ligand was tested in the oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction from DMSO to PPh 3 . The molybdenum(IV) complexes [(OSSO)MoCl 2 ] (1a, b) were prepared from [MoCl 4 (NCMe) 2 ] and the corresponding bis(phenol) (OSSO)H 2 . The molybdenum(V) complexes [(OSSO)MoOCl] (2a, b) were obtained by salt metathesis either from MoOCl 4 or from MoOCl 3 with the corresponding bis(phenolate) salts [(OSSO)M 2 ] (M = Li, K). The reaction with MoOCl 4 proceeds via the intermediate [(OSSO)MoOCl 2 ] (A), which disproportionates into 2 and insoluble oligomers. Single crystal X-ray diffraction of 1a and 2b revealed octahedral cis-α-coordination of the metal center. EPR spectra of 2a and 2b show the characteristic signal of a molybdenum d 1 -spin system which is not coupled to the ligand. OAT reactions in the presence of 1−2 or of the bis(oxo) complex [(OSSO)MoO 2 ] (3) revealed that the molybdenum(IV) complex 1b exerts the high catalytic activity with complete conversion of PPh 3 to OPPh 3 within 30 min at 60 °C. The high catalytic activity of 1 compared to that of 2−3 is explained by the formation of the unstable intermediate A, which decomposes to 2 in the absence of PPh 3 .