Four closely related, tridentate, pyridine derivatives, containing sulphur, three of them macrocyclic, 3,10-dithia-16-azabicyclo[10.3.1]hexadeca-1 (16),12,14-triene (L1), 3,8- dithia-14-azabicyclo-[8.3.1]tetradeca-1 (14),10,12-triene (L2), 3,7-dithia-13- azabicyclo[7.3.1]trideca-1 (13),9,11 -triene(L3), and one acyclic, 2,6-bis(ethylthiomethyl)pyridine (L4), have been prepared. All contain the same co-ordination elements (NS2) structurally placed in the same fashion, sulphur–methylene–pyridine–methylene–sulphur. Copper complexes of all the ligands and the palladium complex of L1 have also been prepared. The molecular structures of the complexes [CuL1Cl2] and [CuL4Cl2] are described. The latter is monoclinic, space group I2/c, with a= 14.669(6), b= 7.418(4), c= 29.412(8)Å, β= 103.03(4)°, and Z= 8. The former is monoclinic, space group P2/a with a= 14.677(9), b= 7.555(1), c= 29.969(4)Å, β= 101.00(2)°, and Z= 8. The different reactivity of the macrocycle ligand L1 with respect to that of L4 is discussed.