Three new 1,2,3-triazole-based ligands with an N,N,N coordination core were prepared using a convergent synthetic protocol starting from racemic 2-amino-1-phenylethanol. They were tested as chelators for biorelevant Zn^II or Ni^II ions. An N,N,N ligand with a terminal amino functionality coordinated the Zn^II in a bidentate fashion, not including the triazole nitrogen. The ligand with two pendant 2-pyridyl groups acted as a tridentate ligand without an N2-triazole coordination to Zn^II, while the ligand containing one 2-pyridyl group acted as an inverse-click chelator for Ni^II ions.