[2＋2] macrocyclic Schiff bases of three kinds have been synthesized from chiral 1,4-diamines by use of different methods. Macrocyclic Schiff bases 1a-1c have been selectively obtained based on a non-templated dilution method from chiral 1,4-diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA1, whereas macrocycles 2a-2c have been selectively produced from reaction of diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA2 in the presence of boric acid as templates. Macrocyclic Schiff bases 3a-3c have been afforded in high selectivity from diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA3 by means of sodium-template. All the titled compounds have been confirmed by ^1H NMR and ESI-MS analyses.
