The aminocarboxylic acid, phenyliminodiacetic acid [C 6H 5N(CH 2COOH) 2, H 2L] , was synthesized by the reaction between phenylid and chloroacetic acid. The copper complex with the acid [CuL(H 2O)] was obtained in aquo solution and its crystal structure was determined by X ray diffraction with a final R 1 value of 0.024 4 and a wR 2 value of 0.066 0. The crystal is of monoclinic system with a space group P2 1/C . The unit cell parameters are as follows: a =1.218 3(2) nm, b =0.868 31(10) nm, c= 0.979 40 nm , β =96.100(10)°, V =1.032 2(2) nm 3, Z =4, D c=1.862 g/cm 3, F (000)=588, μ =2.129 mm -1 . In crystal, each copper ion is coordinated with three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom from H 2L and an oxygen atom from water; the coordination polyhedron around Cu 2+ is a distorted tetragonal pyramid. Cu 2+ are linked by anti anti carboxyl bridges to form endless zigzag chain, a two dimensional network is obtained through the hydrogen bonds between the adjacent chains.
