A series of complexes of the type trans-[Co(III)(bpb)(amine)(2)]X (X = NCS, amine = pyrrolidine (prldn) (1), benzylamine (bzlan) (2), and X = ClO4, amine = pyrrolidine (prldn) (3), benzylamine (bzlan) (4), piperidine (pprdn) (5), morpholine (mrpln) (6), and bpb = N,N'-bis(2-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,2-benzene dianion) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV-Vis, and H-1 NMR spectroscopy. The crystal and molecular structure of 1.0.5H(2)O was determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P (1) over bar, a = 9.4059(8) Angstrom, b = 11.3047(10) Angstrom, c = 12.8451(11) Angstrom, alpha = 81.984(2)degrees, beta = 83.761(2)degrees, gamma = 85.456(2)degrees, V = 1341.6(2) Angstrom(3), Z = 2 and final R-1 = 0.039 (wR(2) = 0.0625) for 5723 independent reflections with I > 2sigma(I) and 368 parameters. The structure consists of chains of complexes linked by moderately strong N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonds zig-zagging along the c lattice translation. The IR, UV-Vis, and H-1 NMR spectra of the complexes are also discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.