The search for new Co III -based drug delivery systems has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In this work, two cobalt complexes with general formula [Co(L)Am](ClO 4 ) n were synthesized, in which L -= (ethyl-3-(7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)-3-oxopropanoate), a coumarin--keto ester ligand, and Am is the auxiliary amine TPA (tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) or Py 2 en (2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2diamine). Complexation reactions yielded [Co II (L)TPA]ClO 4 (1) and [Co III (L)Py 2 en](ClO 4 ) 2 (2), and the Co III complex (2) was investigated as a potential hypoxia-activated prodrug prototype.[a]