In the complexes [Ni(cyclam)(OCOR)2] (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane), where (RCOO)− is 2-naphtho-ate [bis-(2-naphthoato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II), (I), monoclinic P21/c, Z′ = 0.5], 3,5-dinitrobenzoate [bis-(3,5-dinitrobenzoato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II), (II), triclinic P\bar 1, Z′ = 0.5], 4-nitrobenzoate [bis-(4-nitrobenzoato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II), (III), monoclinic P21/n, Z′ = 0.5], 3-hydroxybenzoate [bis-(3-hydroxybenzoato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II), (IV), monoclinic P21/c, Z′ = 0.5] and 4-aminobenzo-ate [bis-(4-aminobenzoato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II), (V), monoclinic C2/c, Z′ = 0.5], the Ni lies on a centre of inversion with monodentate carboxylato ligands occupying trans sites. Compound (I) consists of isolated molecules. In (II) and (III), N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the complexes into chains. Compounds (IV) and (III) form two- and three-dimensional structures generated entirely by hard hydrogen bonds. The 5-hydroxyisophthalate(2−) anion forms a hydrated complex, [Ni(cyclam)(5-hydroxyisophthalate)(H2O)]·4H2O {[aqua-(5-hydroxyisophthalato)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II)] tetrahydrate, (VI), monoclinic Cc, Z′ = 1}, in which the monodentate carboxylato ligand and a water molecule occupy trans sites at Ni: extensive hydrogen bonding links the molecular aggregates into a three-dimensional framework. The terephthalate(2−) anion forms a hydrated linear coordination polymer {catena-poly[terephthalato-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II)] monohydrate, (VII), monoclinic C2/c, Z′ = 0.5}. In 1,2,4,5-benzenecarboxylate tris[1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II)] diperchlorate hydrate (VIII), [Ni(cyclam)]3·[1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate(4−)]·[ClO4]2·-[H2O]3, there are two distinct Ni sites: [Ni(cyclam)]2+ and centrosymmetric [C10H2O8]4− units form a two-dimensional coordination polymer, whose sheets are linked by centrosymmetric [Ni(cyclam)(H2O)2]2+ cations.