Described herein are cobalt compounds, processes for making cobalt compounds, and compositions comprising cobalt metal-film precursors used for depositing cobalt-containing films (e.g., cobalt, cobaltoxide, cobalt nitride, etc.). Examples of cobalt precursor compounds are (alkyne) dicobalt hexacarbonyl compounds, cobalt enamine compounds, cobalt monoazadienes, and (functionalized alkyl) cobalt tetracarbonyl. Examples of surfaces for deposition of metal-containing films include, but are not limited to, metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, and metal silicides. Functionalized ligands with groups such as amino, nitrile, imino, hydroxyl, aldehyde, esters, halogens, and carboxylic acids are used for selective deposition on certain surfaces and/or superior film properties such as uniformity, continuity, and low resistance.