A new redox-active 4,5-bisguanidino-substituted o-benzoquinone ligand L is synthesized, which allows rational access to heterobinuclear complexes through the sequential coordination of two metals. In the examples discussed in this work, mononuclear Cu and Pd complexes are prepared in a first coordination step, and these complexes are then used as precursors to homobinuclear [Cu -L -Cu ] and heterobinuclear [Pd -L -Cu ] complexes. In the heterobinuclear complex, the Pd is coordinated by the softer bisguanidine side of L and the Cu by the harder dioxolene side (in line with the HSAB concept). The heterobinuclear complex is in a temperature-dependent equilibrium with its dimer, with two unsymmetrical Cu-Cl-Cu bridges. The redox-chemistry of the [Cu -L-Cu ] and [Pd -L-Cu ] complexes is studied. One-electron oxidation of both complexes was found to be quasi-reversible in CV experiments, and chemical one-electron oxidation was achieved with NO (SbF ). In the case of the homobinuclear complex [L(CuCl ) ] , intramolecular ligand-metal electron-transfer, triggered by coordination of a CH CN solvent molecule, leads to a temperature-dependent equilibrium between the form [Cu -L -Cu ] at low temperatures (with CH CN coordinated to the Cu atom) and [Cu -L -Cu ] at higher temperatures (without CH CN).