The title compound, [Pb(C(12)H(7)N(2)O(4))(2)](n), obtained by reaction of Pb(NO(3))(2) and 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid (H(2)bptc) under hydrothermal conditions, has a structure in which the unique Pb(II) cation sits on a twofold axis and is octa-coordinated by four O-atom donors from four Hbptc(-) ligands and four N-atom donors from two Hbptc(-) ligands in a distorted dodecahedral geometry. With each Pb(II) cation connected to six Hbptc(-) ligands and each Hbptc(-) ligand bridging three Pb(II) cations, a three-dimensional polymeric structure is formed. From a topological point of view, the three-dimensional net is binodal, with six-connected (the Pb(II) cation) and three-connected (the Hbptc(-) ligand) nodes, resulting in a distorted rutile (4(2).8)(2)(4(4)8(9)12(2)) topology.