The new ligand, [Fc(cyclen)(2)] (5) (Fc=ferrocene, cyclen=1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane), and corresponding Zn(II) complex receptor, [Fc{Zn(cyclen)(CH(3)OH)}(2)](ClO(4))(4) (1), consisting of a ferrocene moiety bearing one Zn(II)-cyclen complex on each cyclopentadienyl ring, have been designed and prepared through a multi-step synthesis. Significant shifts in the (1)H NMR signals of the ferrocenyl group, cf. ferrocene and a previously reported [Fc{Zn(cyclen)}](2+) derivative, indicated that the two Zn(II)-cyclen units in 1 significantly affect the electronic properties of the cyclopentadienyl rings. The X-ray crystal structure shows that the two positively charged Zn(II)-cyclen complexes are arranged in a trans like configuration, with respect to the ferrocene bridging unit, presumably to minimise electrostatic repulsion. Both 5 and 1 can be oxidized in 1:4 CH(2)Cl(2)/CH(3)CN and Tris-HCl aqueous buffer solution under conditions of cyclic voltammetry to give a well defined ferrocene-centred (Fc(0/+)) process. Importantly, 1 is a highly selective electrochemical sensor of thymidilyl(3'-5')thymidine (TpT) relative to other nucleobases and nucleotides in Tris-HCl buffer solution (pH 7.4). The electrochemical selectivity, detected as a shift in reversible potential of the Fc(0/+) component, is postulated to result from a change in the configuration of bis(Zn(II)-cyclen) units from a trans to a cis state. This is caused by the strong 1:1 binding of the two deprotonated thymine groups in TpT to different Zn(II) centres of receptor 1. UV-visible spectrophotometric titrations confirmed the 1:1 stoichiometry for the 1:TpT adduct and allowed the determination of the apparent formation constant of 0.89+/-0.10x10(6) M(-1) at pH 7.4.