The ethylenediammonium tetrachlorozincate chloride (C2H10N2)(2)(ZnCl4)Cl-2 was synthesized. Chemical analysis, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography were applied to characterize the composition and crystal structure of the complex. Low-temperature heat capacities of the compound were measured by a precision automatic adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from T=77-377 K. A polynomial equation of heat capacities as a function of the reduced temperature was fitted by a least square method. Based on the Polynomial equation, the smoothed heat capacities and thermodynamic functions of the title compound relative to the standard reference temperature 298.15 K were calculated at intervals of 5K. A thermochemical cycle was designed and the enthalpy change of the solid phase reaction of ethylenediamine dihydrochloride with zinc chloride was determined to be Delta H-r(m)degrees = -(17.9 +/- 0.6) kJ mol(-1) by an isoperibol solution-reaction calorimeter. Finally, the standard molar enthalpy of formation of the title compound was derived to be Delta H-f(m)degrees[(C2H10N2)(2)(ZnCl4)Cl-2 center dot s] = -(1514.4 +/- 2.7) kJ mol(-1) in accordance with Hess law. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.