A chelating cyclophane has been synthesized by cyclocondensation of two ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA) units with two p-phenylenediamine units: the resulting cyclophane is 2,9,18,25-tetraoxo-4,7,20,23-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,17,20,23,26-octaaza[10.10]paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtapdn)H(4). Cyclocondensation of two EDTA and two 1,5-diaminonaphthalene units has given the naphthalenophane, 2,9,22,29-tetraoxo-4,7,24,27-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,21,24,27,30-octaaza[10.10](1,5)naphthalenophane, (bis-edtanap)H(4). Studies of electronic and EPR spectra have been carried out on the binuclear Cu(2+) complexes of these new ligands and of related chelating cyclophanes, 2,9,25,32-tetraoxo-4,7,27,30-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,24,27,30,33-octaaza[10.1.10.1]paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtabpm)H(4), and 2,9,25,32-tetraoxo-4,7,27,30-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,24,27,30,33-octaaza-17,40-dioxa[10.1.10.1]paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtabpe)H(4). Common features of these chelating cyclophanes are as follows: (1) amino, amide, and pendant carboxymethyl donor groups are substituents in the cyclophane ring, and (2) the amide groups are directly bound to the aromatic groups. These ligands formed neutral binuclear Cu(2+) chelates [Cu(2)L](0) that are water-insoluble. In alkaline solutions, these Cu(2+) complexes were converted to anionic chelates [Cu(2)(LH(-)(4))](4)(-) in which deprotonated amide nitrogens coordinated Cu(2+) ions. These anionic metal chelates of (bis-edtapdn)H(4), (bis-edtabpm)H(4), and (bis-edtabpe)H(4) exhibited three pi-pi transition bands in the spectral range 240-340 nm, in contrast to the uncoordinated cyclophanes, which showed a single band in this spectral range. The unusual pi-pi transition spectra of the [Cu(2)(LH(-)(4))](4)(-) complexes originate from the combined effect of metal-ligand charge transfer and proximity of the pi systems. The absorption and emission spectra of (bis-edtanap)H(4) were also influenced by coordination with copper. The EPR spectrum of [Cu(2)(bis-edtanapH(-)(4))](4)(-) in a methanol glass matrix showed a hyperfine structure due to the spin exchange between two Cu(2+) ions. These unusual spectral and magnetic properties arise from the strong coordination between Cu(2+) ions and deprotonated amide nitrogens that are bound to the pi systems.