Inspired by the proposed role of secondary hydrogen-bonding interactions in modulating the chemistry of mononuclear zinc centers in metalloenzymes, zinc complexes supported by tetradentate tripodal ligands having one or more internal hydrogen-bond donors have been prepared, characterized, and investigated for biologically relevant reactivity. Complexes of this class have been examined in terms of water activation and CO 2 reactivity, alcohol/alkoxide coordination, and amide methanolysis and phosphate ester hydrolysis reactivity. The results of these studies indicate that the presence of internal hydrogen-bond donors will lower the pK a of