The [2+2] cyclocondensation reaction between sodium 2,6-diformyl-4-chlorophenolate and benzyldiethylenetriamine, using the sodium template method, followed by transmetallation with Zn(CH3COO)(2).2H(2)O, gave an unexpected 18-membered macrocyclic product in which ring contractions have occurred to produce two imidazolidine rings. In the macrocyclic complex, [mu-3,17-dibenzyl-13,27-dichloro-3,6,9,17,20,23-hexaazapentacyclo[23.3.1.1(11,15).0(2,6).0(16,20)]triaconta-1(29),9,11(30),12,14,23,25,27-octaene-29,30-diolato]bis[(acetato-kappaO)zinc(II)] ethanol 1.75-solvate 0.25-hydrate, [Zn-2(C38H38Cl2N6O2)(CH3COO)(2)].1.75C(2)H(6)O.0.25H(2)O, each of the two Zn-II ions has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal environment.