The crystal structures of magnesium, aluminum, and titanium coordination complexes of the structurally preorganized tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene are reported. As a result of the absence of steric shielding and the conformational flexibility of the ligand, pseudo-dimeric complexes are formed instead of crown- or raft-like compounds. The unsubstituted tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene ligand thus emulates the complexation characteristics of the sterically open calix[4]arene system.Key words: coordination chemistry, polymetallic, titanium complexes, magnesium complexes, aluminum complexes, tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene ligands, crystal structures.