The preparation is reported of the “extended reach” ligand N 1 , N 1 ′-p-phenylenedimethylene-bis(pyrazole) (p-XBPZ) and a range of its complexes with Mn II , Co II , Ni II , Cu II , Zn II and Cd II , for which pertinent spectroscopic data are also given. The compounds Co(p-XBPZ)(NO 3 ) 2 (1) and Cd 2 (p-XBPZ) 3 (NCS) 4 (2) have been studied by X-ray crystallography. Compound 1 has a chain structure in which octahedrally coordinated cobalt centres are linked by p-XBPZ ligands, with the nitrate groups being bonded in asymmetric bidentate fashion. In compound 2, pairs of Cd atoms are linked by both NCS and p-XBPZ bridges so as to form ladder-like tapes which, in turn, are cross-linked by further p-XBPZ ligands resulting in a complex sheet polymeric structure comprising an array of 8-, 30- and 44-membered rings.