The reactions of Zn(OAc)(2) with acetoacetanilide, methyl acetoacetate, o-acetoacetanisidide, and ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate thiosemicarbazones (HTSC(1), HTSC(2), HTSC(3), and HTSC(4), respectively) were explored in methanol. With HTSC(1), HTSC(2), and HTSC(3), following isolation of the corresponding zinc(II) thiosemicarbazonates [Zn(TSC(x))(2)] (x = 1, 2, 3), the mother liquors afforded pyrazolonate complexes [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] (HL(1) = 2,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide) that had been formed by cyclization of the corresponding TSC(-). The reaction of HTSC(4) with zinc(II) acetate gave only the pyrazolonate complex [ZnL(2)(2)(H(2)O)] (HL(2) = 2,5-dihydro-3,4-dimethyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide). All compounds were studied by IR and NMR spectroscopy, and HTSC(3), [Zn(TSC(3))(2)] x DMSO, [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] x 2DMSO, and [ZnL(2)(2)(H(2)O)] x 2DMSO were also studied by X-ray diffractometry, giving a thorough picture of the cyclization process. In preliminary tests of the effects of HL(1) and [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] on rat paw inflammatory edema induced by carrageenan, HL(1) showed antiinflammatory activity.