A novel macrocyclic organotin(iv) carboxylate {[n-Bu2Sn(O)]9(CH2CH3)2L}·3CH2CH3OH (complex 1) (L = (9-carboxymethyl-1,3,8,10-tetraoxo-3,8,9,10-tetrahydro-1H-anthra[2,1,9-def;6,5,10-d'e'f']diisoquinolin-2-yl)-acetic acid) was generated by the reaction of dibutyltin oxide with amide dicarboxylic acid L and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. X-ray crystallography diffraction analysis reveals that 1 is a centrosymmetric macrocycle and contains a nona-nuclear eight-fold-ladder-like organo-oxotin cluster. The preliminary luminescent properties of complex have also been studied.