The reactions of metal(II) chlorides and bromides with 2-amino-5-bromopyrimidine (2-abpm) in neutral and acidic solution were investigated. The reaction with ZnCl2, ZnBr2, CoCl2, CoBr2 and MnCl2 in acidic nitromethane solution gave complexes of the formula (2-abpmH)2MX4 (1, M = Zn, X = Cl; 2, M = Zn, X = Br; 3, M = Co, X = Cl; 4, M = Co, X = Br; 5, M = Mn, X = Cl). Crystals of 1 and 3 suitable for single crystal X-ray diffraction were obtained. Crystal data: For (1): triclinic, P-1, a = 6.2485(13), b = 9.0520(14), c = 15.334(4) Å, α = 94.81(2), β = 95.224(17), γ = 98.027(17)°, V = 851.1(3) Å3, Z = 2, R = 0.0596 for [|I| ≥ 2σ(I)]. For (3): triclinic, P-1, a = 6.2438(13), b = 9.0597(15), c = 15.318(3) Å, α = 94.749(18), β = 95.343(15), γ = 98.021(17)°, V = 850.2(3) Å3, Z = 2, R = 0.0452 for [|I| ≥ 2σ(I) ]. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility data indicates weak antiferromagnetic interactions in the cobalt and manganese complexes.