A mixture of pyridoxalrhodanine, triethylphosphinegold(I) chloride, and sodium methoxide in methanol unexpectedly afforded the azacoumarin complex [Au(TS)(PEt3)] [HTS = 5-(hydroxymethyl)-8-methyl-3-thiol-7-azacoumarin], which was characterized by X-ray diffractometry. Its crystals consist of independent molecules in which the metal atom is bound to the azacoumarin [Au-S = 2.9458(18) A] and the phosphine [Au-P = 2.262(2) angstrom] in an almost linear arrangement [P1-Au1-S1 = 176.93(7)degrees]. The complex showed better in vitro antitumor activity than cisplatin against the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cis.