Ligands containing linked dipicolylamine (dpa) and bipyridine (bpy) sites have been utilized in the synthesis of monometallic and heterometallic complexes. The two sites have different selectivities for metal binding, which allows preferential formation of singly metalated complexes. The dpa site of the ligands has been observed to bind selectively to Zn2+, Pd2+, and Pt2+, while the bpy site binds selectively to Rh+. Addition of a second metal then results in the formation of heterometallic products. In the presence of CD3OD, the heterometallic Rh/Pt and Rh/Pd complexes undergo rapid selective H/D exchange of one of the diastereotopic protons of the dpa methylene group.