A tridentate ligand, pyphos (6-diphenylphosphino-2-pyridonato), was utilized to prepare tetrametal complexes since this ligand has unique coordinating sites comprised of three different elements, i.e., phosphorus, nitrogen, and oxygen, in almost linear fashion. By using pyphos ligand, linearly aligned tetrametal complexes of group 10 metals [Mo 2 M 2 -(pyphos) 4 X 2n ] (M = Pt and Pd; n = 0, 1, and 2) were prepared, and for group 9 metals, [Mo 2 M 2 (pyphos) 4 (RNC) 4