Two novel lanthanide-carboxylate polymeric complexes containing nine-coordinate lanthanide metal centers, [Nd(H(2)btec)(1/2) (btec)(1/2) (H2O)](n) (1), [Gd(Hbtec)](n) (2), have been prepared by hydrothermal reaction of NdCl3.6H(2)O or Gd(NO3)(3).6H(2)O with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride. Complex 1 crystallizes in triclinic space group P (1) over bar, with a = 6.3822( 5), b = 9.3323(7), c = 9.5201(7) Angstrom,alpha = 88.422(2), beta = 74.446(2),gamma = 76.647(10)degrees, V = 531.13(7) Angstrom(3) and Z = 2. Complex 2 crystallizes in triclinic space group P (1) over bar, with a = 7.2325(7), b = 7.9946( 8), c = 8.7833(9) Angstrom, alpha = 65.4120(10),beta = 86.272(2), gamma = 84.377(2)degrees; V = 459.42(8) Angstrom(3) and Z = 2. The two complexes have high thermal stability and are stable up to 400 degreesC. Magnetic susceptibility measurements for 1 and 2 are consistent with the occurrence of antiferromagnetic interactions through carboxylate bridges.