A bis-bidentate bridging ligand H2L with inequivalent hard and soft binding sites (catecholate and pyrazolyl-pyridine, respectively) reacts with a mixture of Ti(IV) and Zn(II) ions to afford an octanuclear heterometallic Ti4Zn4 cyclic helicate formed from four dinuclear {TiZn(μ-L)2} units connected in a ring via methoxide ions.
