The structures of four neutral binuclear Zn^II complexes of the Schiff-base macrocycles formed by the [2+2] template condensation of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol with 1,2-diaminoethane: [H₂L¹], 1,3-diaminopropane: [H₂L²], 1,4-diaminobutane: [H₂L³] and 2,6-diacetyl-4-methylphenol with 1,2-diaminoethane: [H₂L⁴] have been determined. The complexes [Zn₂(L¹)(OAc)₂]·2CHCl₃, [Zn₂(L²)(OAc)₂]·2CHCl₃ and [Zn₂(L⁴)Cl₂] each contain two five coordinate Zn^II centres with each metal ion bound to the N₂O₂ donor set of the macrocyclic ligand and to an anion molecule. Two different coordination environments are observed in [Zn₂(L³)(μ-OAc)(OAc)]·CHCl₃ which contains both a five- and a six-coordinate Zn^II centre, with one acetate bridging two metal ions and a monodentate acetate bound to the six-coordinate Zn^II ion. Significantly, the reaction of pre-formed macrocyclic ligands [H₄L²](PF₆)₂ and [H₄L⁴](PF₆)₂ with Zn(OAc)₂·2H₂O affords [Zn₂(L²)(μ-OAc)](PF₆)·MeCN and [Zn(H₂L⁴)(MeCN)](PF₆)₂, respectively. The former shows two five-coordinate Zn^II centres in which an acetate bridges both metal ions. In the latter complex the macrocyclic ligand binds only one five-coordinate Zn^II ion with a molecule of MeCN bound at an apical position.