MBr(CO)(3){k(2) (N, O)-pyca}] [M = Mn(1a), Re(1b), pyca = pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde] and [MoCl(eta(3)-C3H4Me-2)(CO)(2){k(2) (N, O)-pyca}] (1c) react with aminoacid beta-alanine to give the corresponding iminopyridine complexes 2a-2c. The same method affords the iminopyridine derivatives from gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (3a-3c) and 3-aminobenzoic acid (4a-4c). For complexes 2a-2c, 3a, 3c and 4a, the solid state structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography, revealing interesting differences in their hydrogenbonding patterns in solid state. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.