One complex {Cd(phen)[(C 5H 5) 2C(OH)COO] 2} 2·H 2O has been synthesized with benzilic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline. The crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to a triclinic system with space group P1̄, a=1.180 19(11) nm, b=1.194 48(14) nm, c=1.327 94(12) nm, α = 107.9920(10)°, β=95.467 0(2)°, γ=99.128 0(10)°, V=1.737 1(3) nm 3, D e=1.446 g·cm -3, Z=1, F(000)=770. Final R 1=0.032 5, wR 2=0.066 0, GooF=1.094. The crystal structure shows that the cadmium(II) ion is coordinated with four...