Mixed ligand fac-tricarbonyl complexes of the general formula [M(L1)(L2)(CO)3](M = Re, 99(m)Tc, L1= imidazole, benzyl isocyanide, L2 = 1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid, pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) have been prepared starting from the precursors [M(OH2)3(CO)3]+. The complexes can be obtained in good yield and purity in a two-step procedure by first attaching the bidentate ligand followed by addition of the monodentate. 99mTc compounds can also be prepared at the tracer level in one-pot procedures with L1 and L2 being concomitantly present. This [2 + 1] approach allows the labeling of bioactive molecules containing a monodentate or a bidentate donor site. Examples given in here are N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)glycyl-N-(3-(imidazol-1-yl)propyl)phenylalaninamide, 5-((3-(imidazol-1-yl)propyl)aminomethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine and 4-(5-isonitrilpentyl)-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-piperazine as L1 and N-((6-carboxypyridine-3-yl)methyl)glycylphenylalanine as L2. The corresponding second ligand can be used to influence the physico-chemical properties of the conjugate. The crystal structures of [99Tc(OH2)(imc)(CO)3], [Re(OH2)(2,4-dipic)(CO)3], [Re(bic)(2,4-dipic)(CO)3] and [Re(im)(2,5-dipic)(CO)3] are reported.