The first-row transition-metal(II) dithiolates M(SAr4iPr)2 [Ar-i= C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2; M = Cr (1), Mn (3), Fe (4), Co (5), Ni (6), and Zn (7)] and Cr(SAr6Me)2 [2; Ar-6(Me) = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)2] and the ligand-transfer reagent (NaSAr4iPr)2 (8) are described. In contrast to their M(SAr6iPr)2 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn; Ar-6(iPr) = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-iPr3)2) congeners, which differ from 1 and 3-6 in having p-isopropyl groups on the flanking aryl rings of the terphenyl substituents, compounds 1 and 4-6 display highly bent coordination geometries with S-M-S angles of 109.802(2) (1), 120.2828(3) (4), 91.730(3) (5), and 92.68(2) (6) as well as relatively close metal-flanking aryl ring ?6 interactions with metal-centroid distances of 2.11477(6) (1), 1.97188(3) (2), 2.15269(6) (4), 1.62058(9) (5), and 1.724(8) (6). However, the d5 (Mn) and d10 (Zn) complexes 3 and 7 display linear or near-linear coordination with no close metal-ligand distances. The nonlinear geometries of 1 and 4-6 also contrast with those of their AriPr(4)-substituted alkoxo and amido congeners, which have strictly linear coordination. Complexes 1-7 were synthesized by the reaction of the lithium or sodium thiolate salt with the metal dihalide or, in the case of 3, by the reaction of the thiol with the amido complex Mn[N(SiMe3)2]2. All compounds were characterized by electronic spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and magnetic measurements using Evans' method and SQUID magnetometry. It was concluded that, despite the large bulk of the Ar-4(iPr) substituents, the absence of p-isopropyl groups on the flanking rings of the ligand permits close secondary metal-flanking ring distances. The compounds are characterized by more intense colors and display magnetic moments that are generally lower than the spin-only values, in agreement with the covalent character of the close metal-flanking ring 6 interactions.