The manganese, cobalt, and cadmium complexes [M(dtbP)(2)](n) (M = Mn (1) and Cc (2)) and [Cd(dtbP)(2)(H2O)](n), (3) (dtbp = di-tert-butyl phosphate), which exist as one-dimensional molecular wires, transform to non-interpenetrating rectangular grids [M(dtbP)(2)(bPY)(2)(.)2H(2)O](n) (M = Mn (4), Co (5), and Cd (6)) by the addition of 4,4-bipyridine (bpy) at room temperature. Products 4-6 have also been prepared by a room-temperature reaction or by solvothermal synthesis in methanol through a direct reaction between the metal acetate, di-tert-butyl phosphate, and 4,4 '-bipyridine (bpy) in a 1:22 molar ratio. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination of 4-6 shows that these compounds are composed of octahedral transition metal ions woven into a two-dimensional grid structure with the help of bpy spacer ligands. The axial coordination sites at the metal are occupied by bulky unidentate dtbp ligands, which prevent any interpenetration of the individual grids. The change of reaction conditions from solvothermal to hydrothermal, for the attempted synthesis of a magnesium grid structure, however leads to the isolation of an organic phosphate [(H(2)bpy)(H2PO4)(2)] (7) and an inorganic phosphate [Mg(HPO4)(OH2)(3)] (8). Compound 7 can also be prepared quantitatively from a direct reaction between bpy and H3PO4. The new organic phosphate 7 is a unique example of a phosphate material with alternating layers of [H(2)bpy](2+) cations and [H2PO4](2+) anions that are held together by hydrogen bonds. Solid-state thermal decomposition of 4-6 produced the respective metaphosphate materials [M(PO3)(2)] (M = Mn (9), Cc (10), and Cd (11)). All new metal-organic phosphates have been characterized by elemental analysis, thermal analysis (TGA, DTA, DSC), and IR and NMR spectroscopy. The metaphosphate ceramic materials were characterized by IR spectral and powder X-ray diffraction studies.