Platinum complexes containing phosphino amino acid and amino acid ester ligands, built upon the P Ph N R′ 2 platform, have been synthesized and characterized (P Ph N R′ 2 = [1,3-diaza]-5-phenyl phosphacyclohexane), R' = Gly (glycine) or Gly-ester (glycine ethyl ester). These complexes were characterized by 31 P, 13 C, 1 H, 195 Pt NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The X-ray crystal structure of one of the complexes, [PtCl 2 (P Ph N Gly-ester 2 ) 2 ], is reported, confirming cis-square planar geometry about the platinum. These complexes provide a foundation upon which larger peptides can be attached, to allow the introduction of enzyme-like features onto small molecular catalysts.