A composition comprising dihydropyrazinyl anions that can be coordinated as 6 electron ligands to a broad range of different metals to yield volatile metal complexes for ALD and CVD depositions are described herein. Also described herein are undeprotonated dihydropyrazines that can coordinate to metals as stabilizing neutral ligands. In one embodiment, the composition is used for the direct liquid injection delivery of the metal dihydropyrazinyl complex precursor to the chamber of an ALD or CVD chamber for the deposition of metal-containing thin films such as, for example, ruthenium or cobalt metal films.