The reaction of the decadentate ligand tpmen (H4tpmen = N,N,N'N'-tetrakis[(6-carboxypyridin-2-yl)methyl]ethylenediamine) with MnCl2·4H2O in aqueous solution gives a homodinuclear complex [Mn2(H2O)2(tpmen)]·16H2O, which has been characterized by elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Cmca, a = 28.786(5) Å, b = 11.5033(19) Å, c = 14.437(2) Å, Z = 8, R1 = 0.0432, wR2 = 0.0786. The tpmen ligand contains four picolinate groups, two of which bind each Mn(II) to form a dinuclear complex. The geometry around the Mn(II) is distorted octahedral with two nitrogen and two oxygen atoms from the picolinate groups and two oxygen atoms from coordinated water. The variable-temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibilities shows an antiferromagnetic interaction between Mn(II) ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]