Americium oxalate single crystals, Am-2(C2O4)(3)(H2O)(6 center dot)4H(2)O, were prepared by in situ oxalic acid generation by slow hydrolysis of the diester. Their structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and was solved by the direct methods and Fourier difference techniques. The structure (space group P2(1)/c, a = 11.184(4) angstrom, b = 9.489(4) angstrom, c = 10.234(4) angstrom, beta = 114.308(8)degrees, Z = 2) consists of layers formed by six-membered rings of actinide metals connected through oxalate ions. The americium atoms are nine-coordinated by six oxygen atoms from three bidentate oxalate ligands and three water molecules. The distances within the coordination sphere as well as infrared and Raman spectra of several isostructural lanthanide (Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III)) and actinide (Pu(III), Am(III)) oxalates were compared to evaluate the similarities and the differences between the two series.