New polymeric materials [M(dcno)2(H2O)2] [M = FeII (1), CoII (2)] and [M(dcno)2] [M = CuII (3), MnII (4)] with dcno– =[(NC)2CC(O)O(CH2)2OH]– = 2,2-dicyano-1-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethenolate anion have been synthesised and characterised by IR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and magnetic measurements. In compounds 1 and 2, each organic ligand acts in a bridging mode with its two nitrogen atoms bound to two different metal ions, while in compounds 3 and 4, each organic anion acts as a μ3-bridging ligand through its two nitrogen atoms and the oxygen atom of the OH group. Each metal ion has a pseudo-octahedral trans-MN4O2 environment with four nitrogen atoms from four different organic ligands and two oxygen atoms from two water molecules in compounds 1 and 2 and from the OH group of the cyanocarbanion ligand in compounds 3 and 4. These coordination modes give rise to 1D, 2D and 3D arrangements for compounds 1, 2 and 3–4, respectively. Magnetic measurements show weak antiferromagnetic coupling between metal centres in the four compounds