A new family of 1D cooperative spin-crossover polymers with general formula [{Fe(tba) 3 }X 2 ]·nH 2 O [tba = N-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzamide; X = CF 3 SO 3 -, n = 2 (1), n = 0 (4); BF 4 -, n = 3 (2), n = 0 (5); 4-CH 3 C 6 H 4 SO 3 -, n = 3 (3), n = 0 (6)] has been synthesised and characterised using a series of spectroscopic methods, X-ray powder diffraction, magnetic susceptibility measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. The copper analogue of 1, [{Cu(tba) 3 }(CF 3 SO 3 ) 2 ]·3H 2 O (7), has also been synthesised and its crystal structure solved at 293 K. Compound 7 crystallises in the P1 space group. The bidentate N-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzamide ligand bridges the copper ions through the 1,2-nitrogen positions leading to a one-dimensional infinite polymer. The EXAFS data collected at 80 K for 1 agree perfectly with a linear chain structure, as observed for 7, with [Fe(tba) 3 ] chromophores linked to each other through the adjacent nitrogen atoms of three N- (4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)benzamide ligands. IR spectroscopic studies confirm the retention of the C 2v symmetry for the triazole rings in 2 and 3, thereby suggesting a similar chainlike arrangement in these compounds. Compound 1 is