The ligands 4-, 3- and 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde 4'-(2,2':6',2''-terpyridyl)hydrazone (, and ) have been prepared and characterized. In the homoleptic iron(ii) and ruthenium(ii) complexes, the nitrogen donor atoms of the pendant pyridine rings subtend an obtuse angle ( approximately 155 degrees ) at the metal centre, thus providing an expanded ligand, which can be used for the assembly one-dimensional coordination polymers with an undulating backbone. Protonation of the pendant pyridine rings in [FeL(2)](2+) (L = , , ) or [RuL(2)](2+) (L = , ) leads to a colour change from purple to blue, or red to pink, respectively, as the MLCT band shifts to a lower energy. The structural data for [Fe(H)()][PF(6)](3).3.5MeCN.2.5H(2)O (where [H](+) is the monoprotonated ligand) show that the [Fe(H)()](3+) cations form one-dimensional chains supported by N(py)HN(py) hydrogen bonds and that the undulating chains pack to give a porous material, with channels that accommodate the anions and solvent molecules. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction determination of {[Fe(NCS)(2)(Ru()(2))(2)][Fe(2)(NCS)(6)(OEt)(2)(EtOH)(2)][NCS](2).4EtOH.H(2)O}(n) reveals that pairs of [Ru()(2)](2+) cations connect {Fe(NCS)(2)} units to give a one-dimensional polymer comprising of linked metallamacrocycles.