Single crystals of the metastable phase of KCoPO4 (a-KCP) have been synthesized in a gel of tetramethoxysilane. The crystals have a hexagonal symmetry which belongs to space group P63 (cell parameters a = 18.206(1), c = 8.5135(8) [.ANG.] and Z = 24). The crystals have been characterized by x-ray diffraction and by polarized light microscopy. The magnetoelec. properties of this compd. have been studied at 4.4 K. No linear magnetoelec. effect has been detected, and all coeffs. of the tensor corresponding to the quadratic magnetoelec. effect (ME)H have been detd. at 4.4 K: b123 = -b213 = 2.3 * 10-18, b113 = b223 = 7.1 * 10-18, b311 = b322 = 12.2 * 10-18, and b333 = 7.2 * 10-18 in [s A-1] (estd. error less than 5%). The absence of a linear magnetoelec. effect and the form of the tensor of the quadratic effect indicate that the magnetic symmetry of the crystal at this temp. must belong either to the antiferromagnetic magnetic point group 6' or to the paramagnetic one 61'. The pyroelec. effect was also measured confirming polar character of the structure.