Two novel divalent metal complexes with N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid, H(2)O(3)PCH(2)N(CH(2)CO(2)H)(2) (H(4)PMIDA), [Co(2)(PMIDA)(H(2)O)(5)] x H(2)O, 1, and [Zn(2)(PMIDA)(CH(3)CO(2)H)] x 2H(2)O, 2, have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The structure of complex 1 features two different kinds of Co(II) layers, namely, a cobalt phosphonate layer along the <100> plane and a cobalt carboxylate layer along the <300> plane. The Co(II) atoms in the phosphonate layer are octahedrally coordinated by 4 aqua ligands and 2 oxygen atoms from two phosphonic acid groups. Two Co(II) octahedra are bridged by a pair of phosphonic groups into a dimeric unit, and such dimers are interconnected into a layer through hydrogen bonding between aqua ligands. The Co(II) atoms in the carboxylate layer are octahedrally coordinated by a chelating PMIDA ligand, one aqua ligand, and one phosphonic oxygen atom from the neighboring PMIDA ligand. These Co(II) octahedra are interlinked by bridging carboxylic groups into a one-dimensional chain along the c-axis; such chains are held together by hydrogen bonds formed between carboxylic oxygen atoms and lattice water molecules, in such a way as to form a layer along the <300> direction. Two such layers are interconnected into a double layer via hydrogen bonding. These double layers are further interconnected with the Co(II) phosphonate layers through phosphonate tetrahedra along the a direction, resulting in the formation of a complicated three-dimensional network. The crystal structure of 2 contains a metal phosphonate and metal carboxylate hybrid layer along the <202> plane. One of the two zinc atoms in the asymmetric unit is tetrahedrally coordinated by four oxygen atoms from two phosphonic acid groups and two carboxylic groups; the other zinc atom is 5-coordinated by three oxygen atoms and a nitrogen atom from a chelating PMIDA ligand and one oxygen atom from the acetic acid. The above two types of zinc metal ions are interconnected by bridging carboxylic and phosphonic groups, resulting in the formation of a layered structure.