The solid-state structures of a series of alkali metal salts of the croconate dianion (C(5)O(5)(2-)) and of croconic acid (H(2)C(5)O(5)) have been determined. The alkali metal croconates were obtained by ring contraction of rhodizonic acid (H(2)C(6)O(6)), upon treatment with alkali metal hydroxides and recrystallisation from water. The novel species Na(2)C(5)O(5) x 2H(2)O, Rb(2)C(5)O(5) and Cs(2)C(5)O(5), as well as the mixed hydrogencroconate/croconate salt K(3)(HC(5)O(5))(C(5)O(5)) small middle dot2 H(2)O are described and compared with the Li(+), K(+) and NH(4)(+) salts. Single crystals of croconic acid were obtained by crystallisation of croconic acid in the presence of HCl. Crystal structure determinations showed that the C(5)O(5)(2-) ions tend to organize themselves in columns. The interplanar separations lie in the narrow range 3.12-3.42 A and do not necessarily reflect the presence of pi-stacking interactions. It is argued that the small interplanar separation is the result of a compromise between packing of flat croconate units and the spherical cations together with the water molecules that fill the coordination spheres of the alkali metal atoms.