2005) Synthesis, X-ray structure and spectroscopic investigation of an eight-coordinate cadmium(Reaction of 4-methylimidazole-5-carbaldehyde (L) with cadmium(II) nitrate (M : L ¼ 1 : 2; EtOH) yields a novel eight-coordinate mononuclear complex, [CdL 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ]. X-ray structural analysis indicates that the Cd(II) ion possesses what can be described as a double coordination sphere. The inner coordination sphere is pseudo-tetrahedral and consists of four atoms, N(1), N(11), O(21) and O(42), with bond lengths ranging from 2.252(2) to 2.371(2) Å . The second or outer coordination sphere is composed of four oxygen donors, O(7), O(17), O(22) and O(41), with Cd-O distances of 2.543(2) to 2.756(2) Å . The atoms of the external coordination sphere form pyramids with the pseudo-tetrahedral faces of the inner coordination sphere. IR and Raman spectra confirm the stabilization of the N-H isomer of the ligand.