A layered vanadium selenite with the composition of beta-(H3NCH2CH2NH3)[(VO)(SeO3)(2)], has been prepared by the reaction of V2O5, VOSO4, with SeO2 under hydrothermal condition in the presence of ethylenediamine. It is characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma, differential thermal-thermogravimetric analysis and magnetic susceptibilities. beta-(H3NCH2CH2NH3)[(VO)(SeO3)(2)] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with crystal data: a = 9.2476(4) Angstrom, b = 10.3475(4) Angstrom, c = 9.5088(6) Angstrom, beta = 96.484(10)degrees, V = 904.07(8) Angstrom(3), Z = 4, R-1 [I > 2theta(I)] = 0.0174, wR(2) [I > 2theta(I)] = 0.0451. The structure of the layered compound, beta-(H3NCH2CH2NH3)[(VO)(SeO3)(2)], can be described as an inorganic net of isolated VO6 octahedral, each sharing four corners with four adjacent SeO3 trigonal pyramids. The connectivity between the VO6 octahedra and the SeO3 pyramids creates V4Se4O1012- ladder which are intercrossed through VO6 octahedra to form the anionic layers of the stoichiometry, [VSe2O7](2-). (C) 2003 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.