Transition metal complexes of some azamacrocycles and their use in molecular recognition

Azamacrocycles show high affinity for the complexation of a wide range of transition metals. By additional reversibly coordinated ligands, these metal complexes have shown to be interesting tools for molecular recognition, especially for biological systems. Herein, the role of metal complexes of 1,4,8,11-tetraaza-cyclotetradecane ([14]aneN(4) or cyclam), 1,4,7,10-tetraaza-eyelododecane ([12]aneN4 or cyclen), 1,5,9-triaza-cyclododecane ([12]aneN(3)), 1,4,7-triaza-cyclo non a ne ([9]aneN(3) or TACN) is reviewed.