CaC3H204 . 2H20 is monoclinic, space group C2/m, with a = 13.8707 (4), b = 6.8120 (2), c = 6-8040 (2) A, fl = 106.289 (4) °, Z = 4. The structure has been refined to R = 0.032. The malonate ion is coordinated to four different Ca ions forming layers that are stacked along a. The Ca ion is coordinated by six carboxylate and two water O atoms forming a distorted square antiprism. SrC3H204 is orthorhombic, space group Pnan, with a = 6.7538 (4), b = 10.6270(8), c = 12.6744 (11) A, Z = 8. The structure has been refined to R = 0-026. The compound is composed of a three-dimensional network of linked nine-coordinate Sr 2+ complexes. The coordination polyhedron is a distorted tricapped trigonal prism. It contains a six-membered chelate ring, which imposes a conformation on the malonate ion in which the C-C-C angle is 112.5 (3) °.