Eight group 12 metal complexes of PTA derivatives, [ZnCl2(O=PTA)(H2O)] (1), [ZnCl2(mu-O=PTA)](n) (2), [CdCl2(O=PTA)(H2O)] (3), [Cd(O=PTA)(H2O)Br-2[ (4), [Cdl(2)(kappa(1)-O=PTA)(mu-O=PTA)] (5), [HgCl2(mu-O=PTA)](n) (6), [ZnCl2(S=PTAH)(S=PTAZnCl(3))] (7), and [CdCl2(S=PTA)(CH3OH)](n) (8), have been synthesized, and characterized by IR, elemental analysis, ESI-MS, H-1 and P-31{H-1} NMR, and single-crystal X-ray analysis. Their structures and coordination modes are investigated both in the solid state and in aqueous solution. Their solid-state structures, found to be either dinuclear or polymeric, were elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All the metal complexes, however, do not remain intact in aqueous solution as revealed by their H-1 and P-31{H-1} NMR spectroscopic data, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.