The nitrogen-donor ligands 1-methylbenzotriazole (1Mebta), 5-methylbenzotriazole (5MebtaH), 5-chlorobenzotriazole (5ClbtaH) and 5-nitrobenzotriazole (5NOebtaH) react with palladium(II) and platinum(II) to give cis-[PdL2C12] , cis-[PtL2C12] (L -1Mebta, 5MebtaH, 5ClbtaH or 5NO2btaH), [Pt(5ClbtaH)4]C12, I-Pd-(5MebtaH)C12] 2, I-Pd(5ClbtaH)C12]2 and [Pd(5NO2btaH)-C1212. The complexes were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. The benzotriazoles act as monodentate ligands binding through N(3). Monomeric square planar structures are assigned for the 1:2 complexes and [Pt(5ClbtaH)4]C12 in the solid state. Centrosymmetric, chloro-bridged, dinuclear square planar structures of Czh symmetry are proposed for the 1:1 palladium(II) compounds.