The reaction of sodium hydroxide with 2-aminoterephthalic acid leads to the formation of a complex of the general formula: [Na 2 (atpt)(H 2 O) 5 ]ÁH 2 O, where atpt = [NH 2 C 6 H 3 (COO) 2 ] 2-. Sodium 2-aminoterephthalate was synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and coupled TG-FT-IR technique. Crystallographic study of the sodium complex reveals that the compound crystallizes in the triclinic system, the space group P-1 with a = 7.983(3) Å , b = 8.405(3) Å , c = 11.311(5) Å , a = 70.74(3)°, b = 76.57(3)°, c = 83.12(3)°and V = 696.1(5) Å 3. On heating in air atmosphere the compound in question loses all water molecules in two steps in the temperature range 30-205°C. The anhydrous form of the complex is stable up to 370°C and then decomposes to sodium carbonate.