The template reactions of 2,6-diacetylpyridine with 3,6-dioxaoctane-1,8-diamine in the presence of dysprosium(III), thulium(III) and lutetium(III) chlorides and erbium(III) perchlorate produce the complexes of 15-membered macrocyclic ligand with an N3O2 set of donor atoms as a result of the [1+1] Schiff base cyclocondensation. In contrast, analogous reactions involving the lighter lanthanide ions (lanthanum(III), samarium(III) and europium(III)) yield the acyclic complexes with terminal acetylpyridyl groupings as products of the partial [2+1] condensation. The complexes were characterized by spectral data (IR, UV-VIS, 1H NMR, MS), and thermogravimetric and elemental analyses.