The crystal structures are reported for two compounds containing novel perforated layer structures, [DBA](2)Cd9Cl20 center dot 2H(2)O and [Cu(TIM)](2)Cu13Cl30(H2O)(2) center dot xH(2)O, where [DBA](+) = din-butylammonium and TIM = 2,3,9,10-tetramethyl-1,3,8,10-tetraenecyclo-1,4,8,11-tetraazatetradecane . In the former compound, single Cd2+ ions are excised from the parent CdCl2 layers, with water molecules hydrogen bonded to chloride ions on both sides of the excision. Lattice stability is provided by the DBA(+) cations, which have an all-trans conformation. These lie between the layers, hydrogen bonding to the adjacent [Cd9Cl20(H2O)(2)](n)(2n-) sheets. In the copper compound, the modification of the parent CuCl2 structure is much more complex. In this compound, [(CuCl2)-Cl-2](2+) moieties are excised in a regular fashion. In addition, at 50% of the Cu1 sites, CuCl2 species are replaced by pairs of water molecules in a random fashion. The Cu(TIM)(2+) cations bridge the layers via the formation of two semicoordinate bonds to chloride ions at the edge of the [Cu2Cl2](2+) excision sites of adjacent layers.