The two tetraazamacrocycle-N.N',N",N"'-tetraacetic acids H,dota and H,teta form with Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ (M") mononuclear complexes MLH, and M'[ML], M' being an alkaline earth ion. The structures of Ni(H2dota) and Cu(H,dota) have been solved by X-ray structure analysis. The metal ions are in a distorted octahedral geometry coordinated by four amino N-atoms and two carboxylates. In the case of Cu2+, the distortions are more pronounced than for Ni2+ indicating that the Juhn-Teffer effect is operating. Starting from these two structures, the coordination geometry of the other complexes is discussed using VIS and IR spectra.