A novel cobalt(II) coordination polymer,[Co(BTEC)1/2]n 1,has been synthesized with Co(NO3)2·6H2O and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid (H4BTEC) by the hydrothermal method,and characterized by elemental analysis,IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystallographic data for 1: C5HO4Co,Mr = 183.99,monoclinic,space group C2/c,a = 16.619(6),b = 7.416(3),c = 8.040(3),β = 90.612(4)°,V = 990.8(6) 3,Z = 8,Dc = 2.467 g/cm3,μ = 3.390 mm-1,F(000) = 720,R = 0.0307 and wR = 0.0847 for 912 observed reflections (I > 2σ(I)). X-ray crystal structural analysis revealed that each Co(II) adopts a tetrahedral coordination mode to link four separate BTEC ligands via uniform monodentate carboxylate groups and each BTEC ligand possesses an 8-connected geometry to connect eight Co(II) ions. Complex 1 exhibits a rare (4,8)-connected net with (45.6)2(410.614.84) topology.