Methanolysis of nitrile-functionalised pendant arm derivatives of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane upon coordination to CuIIElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: frozen solution EPR (77 K) spectra for [Cu(1)](BF4)2 and [Cu(2)](BF4)2·H2O (Fig. S1) and [Cu(L2)Cl2] (Fig. S2) in CH3CN–DMF (9 ∶ 1) solutions. Modelling of the disorder in [Cu(1)](BF4)2 and [Cu(2)](BF4)2·H2O. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/dt/b2/b209091k/