The reaction of ZnCl2 with 9-ethylguanine (9-EtGH) produced a novel dinuclear Zn(II) complex, [Zn2Cl4(H2O)(mu-9-EtGH-N7,O6)(9-EtGH-N7), 1. The X-ray structure analysis (monoclinic, P2(1) (No. 4), a = 11.0636(6) Angstrom, b = 6.6546(4) Angstrom, c = 15.9630(9) Angstrom, beta = 101.069(1)degrees, V = 1153.4(1) Angstrom(3), Z = 2) revealed that one of the tetrahedrally coordinated Zn(II) atoms binds to the N7 site of 9-EtGH and to the exocyclic O6 atom of another 9-EtGH molecule. The remaining Zn(II) atom binds to the N7 site of the second 9-EtGH moiety.