Synthesis and structures of nickel(II) and copper(II) compounds of 5,5,7,13-tetramethyl-13-nitro-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane and the 13-ethyl-5,5,7-trimethyl-homologue

The imine functions of the nitro-substituted imine-triamine azamacrocycle cations are reduced by NaBH4 to form the nitro-substituted cyclic tetraamine cations. The structures of five compounds with cations with M = NiII, R = Me and one with M = CuII, R = Et are reported.