Abstract The reaction of dichlorocadmium(II) and (-)-sparteine (sp) provides two products, [CdCl2(sp)]) (1) and (Hsp)3[Cd2Cl7] (2). The latter represents one of the rare known examples exhibiting an isolated Cd2Cl73− trianion. Both products are formed in the same reaction mixture and single crystals of one of the two products can be obtained selectively by crystallization depending on the co-solvent