The title complex [Zn(-O2CCH=CHCO2)(C3H4N2)(H2O)]n was prepared by the reaction of zinc carbonate with maleic acid and imidazole in an aqueous-alcohol solution at 333 K, and its crystal structure has been solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group Pc with a = 5.3858(7), b = 22.685(3), c = 7.6782(1) ? = 92.261(2)o, V = 937.4(2) 3, Z = 1, C14H16N4O10Zn2, Mr = 531.05, Dc = 1.882 g/cm3, = 2.623 mm1, F(000) = 532, the final R = 0.0372 and wR = 0.0930 for 1926 observed reflections with I>2s(I). The central zinc atom is five-coordinated in a distorted square pyramidal environment to three oxygen atoms of two different maleate ligands, a nitrogen atom of the imi- dazole ligand and an oxygen atom of water. In the complex two carboxylate groups of the maleate ligands have two coordination modes. One acts as a bidentate chelate ligand and the other a monoatomic monodentate ligand to bridge two zinc centers. As a result, 1-D infinite polymeric chains are formed, which are linked together by pairs of OH…O hydrogen bonds between the coordination water OH groups and carboxylate oxygen atoms to construct a 2-D layered polymer, and the layer structure is stabilized by p-p stacking of the imidozel ligands. The title complex [Zn (-O2CCH = CHCO2) (C3H4N2) (H2O)] n was prepared by the reaction of zinc carbonate with maleic acid and imidazole in an aqueous-alcohol solution at 333 K, and its crystal structure has been solved by The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group Pc with a = 5.3858 (7), b = 22.685 (3), c = 7.6782 (1) = 92.261 (2) o, V = 937.4 (2) 3, Z = 1, C14H16N4O10Zn2, Mr = 531.05, Dc = 1.882 g / cm3, = 2.623 mm1, F (000) = 532, the final R = 0.0372 and wR = 0.0930 for 1926 observed reflections with I> 2s (I). The central zinc atom is five-coordinated in a distorted square pyramidal environment to three oxygen atoms of two different maleate ligands, a nitrogen atom of the imi- dazole ligand and an oxygen atom of water. In the complex two carboxylate groups of the maleate ligands have two coordination modes. One acts as a bidentate chelate ligand and the other a monoatomic monodentate ligand to bridge two zinc centers. As a result, 1-D infinit e polymeric chains are formed, which are linked together by pairs of OH ... O hydrogen bonds between the coordination water OH groups and carboxylate oxygen atoms to construct a 2-D layered polymer, and the layer structure is stabilized by pp stacking of the imidozel ligands .