The template reactions of 2,6-diacetylpyridine with 1,12-diamine-4,9-dioxadodecane in the presence of yttrium and lanthanide ions produce the pentadentate macrocyclic complexes with N 3 O 2 set of donor atoms as a result of [1 + 1] Schiff base condensation. The complexes were characterized by spectral data (IR, UV-vis, 1 H NMR, FAB-MS), thermogravimetric and elemental analysis.