The syntheses of novel three and four carbon-bridged unsymmetrical bis
(macrocyclic) ligands have been investigated. Suitable functionalizati
on of a selectively protected 1,4,7-triazacyclononane macrocycle allow
s for the coupling of this well-studied ligand to either 1,4-diazacycl
ononane or 4,7-diaza-1-oxacyclononane.