New cobalt(III) complexes of two tetradentate Schiff base ligands, acacen = bis(acetylacetone)ethylenediimine dianion and (BA) 2 en = bis(benzoylacetone)-ethylenediimine dianion, with two axial thiobenzamide (tb) ligands have been synthesized by solid state methods and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV-Vis, and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. Both complexes show solvatochromism in a variety of solvents. The crystal and molecular structures of (1) and (2) were determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure (1) contains two independent [Co III ((BA) 2 en)(tb) 2 ] ? complexes, two independent PF 6 anions, and one well ordered ethyl acetate solvent molecule per asymmetric unit. In contrast, the structure (2) contains two independent [Co III (acacen)(tb) 2 ] ? complexes of C 2 symmetry, a disordered ClO 4 group and disordered toluene molecules. The octahedral coordination of Co(III) is distorted and the Schiff base ligands (ONNO donors) coordinate the cobalt ion in four equatorial positions, and the two axial positions are occupied by S-bonded thiobenzamide molecules. Intramolecular N-HÁÁÁO hydrogen bonds donated by the thiobenzamide molecules add to the stability of the complexes in the solid state. The IR, UV-Vis, and 1 H-NMR spectra of the two complexes and their solvatochromic properties are also discussed. The compounds exhibit LLCT mediated by the metal center.