The compounds trichloroselenium(IV) and trichlorotellurium(IV) sulfonates, MCl3(XSO3) (M = Se and Te; X = CF3, CH3, and p-CH3C6H4), have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Infrared spectra suggest that the XSO3− group acts as a monodentate ligand in the Se compounds and as a tridentate ligand in the Te compounds. MCl3(CF3SO3) (M = Se and Te) are found to act as CF3SO3− ion acceptors, and compounds (C2H5)4N[MCl3(CF3SO3)2] have been isolated. Some other reactions involving ligand substitution and complex formation have also been investigated. Reactions of potassium tellurate(IV) with trifluoromethane-, methane-, and paratoluenesulfonic acids are seen to yield K2[Te(CF3SO3)6], K2[Te(CH3SO3)6] and K2[TeO(p-CH3C6H4SO3)4], respectively. Keywords: trichloroselenium(IV) sulfonates, trichlorotellurium(IV) sulfonates, tetraethylammonium trichlorobis(trifluoromethanesulfonato)selenate(IV), tetraethylammonium trichlorobis(trifluoromethanesulfonato)tellurate(IV), IR spectra.