A new preparation of N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (H(2)bped) is reported, and its properties of complexation with Al(III), Ga(III), In(III), and Co(III) are investigated. The molecular structure of the cobalt(III) complex [Co(bped)]PF(6).CH(3)CN.H(2)O (C(20)H(25)CoF(6)N(5)O(5)P) has been solved by X-ray methods; the complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P&onemacr;, with a = 10.611(2) Å, b = 12.720(2) Å, c = 9.868(1) Å, alpha = 102.70(1) degrees, beta =93.60(1) degrees, gamma = 106.96(1) degrees, and Z = 2. The structure was solved by direct methods and was refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures to R = 0.041 (R(w) = 0.038) for 4312 reflections with I > 3sigma(I). The Co(III) ion is coordinated in a distorted octahedral geometry with an N(4)O(2) donor atom set. The carboxylato oxygen atoms are coordinated trans, while the pyridyl nitrogen atoms are coordinated cis. The largest distortion from octahedral geometry is the N(pyridyl)-Co-N(pyridyl) angle of 107 degrees. Complex formation constants have been measured at 25 degrees C (&mgr; = 0.16 M (NaCl)). log K(M(bped)) (log K([M(bped)(OH)])): M = Al, 10.85 (6.37); M = Ga, 19.89 (15.62); M = In, 22.6 (15.44). A protonated complex was also detected, Ga(Hbped), log K = 21.79. The order of stability is In(III) > Ga(III) > Al(III) for the binary species, M(bped). The solution structures of the complexes have been probed in multinuclear NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (27)Al) studies, and these solution structures are compared with the solid state structure of the cobalt(III) complex. The complexes In(bped) and [In(bped)(OH)] are proposed to contain 7-coordinate In(III) with water and hydroxide completing the respective coordination spheres. The gallium complexes are proposed to be 6-coordinate: the Ga(Hbped) complex contains a nondeprotonated carboxylic acid group which is not coordinated, and [Ga(bped)(OH)] contains a coordinated hydroxide which displaces a carboxylato donor. The [Al(bped)(OH)] complex may be 5-coordinate on the basis of its downfield (27)Al NMR chemical shift, 54 ppm.