The three pseudopeptides L 1-3 having three converging cysteine arms anchored on a nitrilotriacetic acid scaffold, are demonstrated to be efficient sulfur-based Hg II chelating agents. The three ligands differ by the nature of the carbonyl group of the cysteine moieties, ester, amide, and carboxylate for L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 , respectively. The coordination chemistry of the mercury thiolate complexes was characterized in water by acid-base titration and several spectroscopic methods, including UV, 1 H, and 199 Hg NMR spectroscopy and Hg-L III EXAFS. At alkaline pH, they form monometallic complexes with typical signatures of a trigonal HgS 3 coordination site, which is uncommon, as Hg II usually prefers a coordination number of two. The digonal HgS 2 structure is formed at acidic pH, where one cysteine group is protonated (HgLH complex). EXAFS spectra at liquid He temperature and alk-