Five structural kinds of nickel hydrogen-bonded networks containing hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate ligands (Tp*) have been elucidated by X-ray diffraction, [Tp*Ni(OH2)(3)][(P-NO2C6H4O)(2)PO2] (4), [Tp*Ni(OH2)(3)][Me2PO2]center dot Me2P(O)OH (5), [Tp*Ni(OH2)(3)][(nBuO)(2)PO2]center dot 0.5H(2)O (6), [(Hpz)Tp*Ni(OH2)(2)][(Ph)PO2OH] (7) and [Tp*Ni(OH2)(2)(Me2PO2)] (8). The most relevant supramolecular feature of complexes 4-8 is all of them form coordination networks based on hydrogen bonds between water molecules and phosphate, phosphonate or phosphinate anions. These hydrogen bonds are formed within the monomer units in addition to connect monomers along the chains. Their behaviors in solution were investigated by one-and two-dimensional H-1 NMR techniques. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.