Three new Ni(BDC)/2,2'-bipy compounds, Ni-2(BDC)(HBDC)(2)(2,2'-bipy)(2) (2), Ni-3(BDC)(3)(2,2'-bipy)(2) (3), and Ni(BDC)(2,2-bipy)(2)center dot 2H(2)O (5), in addition to the previously reported Ni(BDC)(2,2'-bipy)-0.75H(2)BDC (1) and Ni(BDC)(2,2'-bipy)(H2O) (4) [BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; 2,2'-bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine], have been synthesized by hydrothermal reactions. A systematic investigation of the effect of the reaction temperature and pH resulted in a series of compounds with different compositions and dimensionality. The diverse product slate illustrates the marked sensitivity of the structural chemistry of polycarboxylate aromatic ligands to synthesis conditions. Compound 1, which has a channel structure containing guest H2BDC molecules, is formed at the lowest pH. The guest H2BDC molecules are connected by hydrogen bonds and form extended chains. At a slightly higher pH, a dimeric molecular compound 2 is formed with a lower number of protonated carboxylate groups per nickel atom and per BDC ligand. Reactions at higher temperature and the same pH lead to the transformation of 1 and 2 into the two-dimensional, layered trinuclear compound 3. As the pH is increased, a one-dimensional polymer 4 is formed with a water molecule coordinated to Nil. Bis-monodentate and bischelating BDC ligands alternate along the chain to give a crankshaft rather than a regular zigzag arrangement. A further increase of the pH leads to the one-dimensional chain compound 5, which has two chelating 2,2'-bipy ligands. Crystal data: 2, triclinic, space group P1, a = 7.4896(9) angstrom, b = 9.912(1) angstrom, c = 13.508(2) angstrom, alpha = 86.390(2)degrees, beta = 75.825(2)degrees, gamma = 79.612(2)degrees, Z = 2; 3, orthorhombic, space group Pbca, a = 9.626(2) angstrom, b 17.980(3) angstrom, c = 25.131(5) angstrom, Z = 4; 5, orthorhombic, space group Pbcn, a = 14.266(2) angstrom, b = 10.692(2) angstrom, c = 17.171(2) angstrom, Z = 8.