Abstract Three series of macrocyclic polyether-diester ligands have been prepared from dimethyl triethylene glycol (20), two dimethyl tetraethylene glycols (21, 23), dimethyl pentaethylene glycol (22) and tetramethyl tetraethylene glycol (24) and diglycolyl chloride (products 5–9), thiadiglycolyl chloride (products 10–14) and 2, 6-pyridine dicarbonyl chloride (products 15–19). The eighteen-membered rings (6 and 16) formed solid ...