Benzotriazole (bta-H) is well-known corrosion inhibitor for copper, copper-alloy, and other metal surfaces. Particles from these surface treatments will ultimately contribute to environmental indoor dust or outdoor industrial effluent, but they have not been fully characterized. Bta-H is one of a group of several organic ligands which bind to transition metals and which have similar structures. We have systematically investigated approximately 30 transition metal complexes of the general formula ML(sub 2), where M = VO(2+), MN(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+), and L = deprotonated benzotriazole, imidazole, benzimidazole, 2-methylimidazole, or 2-methylbenzimidazole. Where possible, these materials have been synthesized and characterized by chemical analysis, spectroscopy, and x-ray diffracton techniques.