Abstract: Novel polycyclic macrocyclic compounds having four tertiary nitrogen bridgehead atoms and six bridging chains, each of which have not more than twelve directly connecting atoms between each pair of bridgehead nitrogens, said bridging chains being hydrocarbon chains and hetero-substituted hydrocarbon chains having at least one hetero connecting atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, at least two of said chains being hetero substituted. When admixed with a compatible cation-donor compound, the polycyclic macrocyclic compounds form stable cation-containing macrocyclic complexes which, in turn, can be conveniently dissociated by addition of acid or a quaternizing acid. The novel polycyclic macrocyclics are valuable for use in the same way and for the same purposes as chelating agents.The polycyclic macrocyclic compounds are prepared by condensation reactions utilizing high dilution techniques, e.g.