A novel imidazolate-bridged heterodinuclear Cu(II)Zn(II) complex derived from a unique macrocyclic ligand with two hydroxyethyl pendants.

[(CuimZnL-2H)(CuimZnL-H)](ClO4)3, the first imidazolate-bridged Cu(II)-Zn(II) complex of a unique single macrocyclic ligand with two flexible hydroxyethyl pendants, L (L = 3,6,9,16,19,22-hexaaza-6,19-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)tricyclo[22.2.2.2(11,14)]triaconta-1,11,13,24,27,29-hexaene) has been obtained, in which the macrocyclic ligand with two hydroxyethyl arms possesses a markedly different conformation compared to its dicopper analogue.