Two multidentate ditopic ligands L1 and L2 which contain both N-donor and crown ether units have been synthesised. The potentially octadentate ligand L1 forms a trinuclear heterometallic double helicate with Cu (I) and Zn (II)([Zn2Cu (L1) 2] 5+), whereas L2 forms a tetranuclear heterometallic double helicate with the same metal ions ([Zn2Cu2 (L2) 2] 6+). Both species have been characterised by 1H NMR, ESI-MS and single crystal X-ray ...