The preparation of a new type of N2S2 tetradentate ligand 3 with the bis(hydrazonothioamide) structure is reported in this paper. The key step in this synthesis is the condensation of the dihydrazine 7 with an α-ketoester. Ligand 1,2-bis[(2-dimethylamino-2-thioxo-1-phenylethylidene)hydrazino]ethane}
3 was obtained in 6 steps from secondary amine. This ligand is then used in the preparation of a nickel(II) complex 4 and the mesomeric forms of metallic complex NiN2S2 are discussed.