One complex [Cd(m-nitrobenzoic acid)2(phen)2] · (H2O)2 was obtained by self-assembly of m-nitrobenzoic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline(phen). It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1, with a=1.084 8(2) nm, b=1.383 1(3) nm, c=1.457 0(3) nm, α=115.580(3)°, β=99.813(4)°, γ=100.788(4)°, V=1.857 4(7) nm3, Dc=1.504 g·cm-3, Z=2, Mr= 841.06, μ(Mo Kα)=0.654 mm-1, F(000)=852, R1=0.040 2, wR2=0.125 5. The crystal structure shows that the cadmium(II) ion is coordinated with four nitrogen atoms from the two phen molecules and three oxygen atom...