Cu(II) ion catalyzed kinetics of oxidation of H 2 O 2 by [Ni III L 2 ] (L 2 = 1,8-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3,6,8,10,13-hexaazacyclotetradecane) was studied in aqueous acidic medium in the presence of sulphate ion. The rate of oxidation of H 2 O 2 by [Ni III L 2 ] is faster than that by [Ni III L 1 ] (L 1 = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) in sulphate medium. DFT calculations at BP86/def2-TZVP level lead to different modes of bonding between [NiL] II/III and water ligands (L = L 1 and L 2 ). In aqueous medium, two water molecules interact with [NiL] II through weak hydrogen bonds with L and are tilted by ∼23 • from the vertical axis forming the dihydrate [NiL] 2+ .2H 2 O. However, there is coordinate bond formation between [NiL 1 ] III and two water molecules in aqueous medium and an aqua and a sulphato ligand in sulphate medium leading to the octahedral complexes [NiL 1 (H 2 O) 2 ] 3+ and [NiL 1 (SO 4 )(H 2 O)] + . In the analogous [NiL 2 ] III , the water molecules are bound by hydrogen bonds resulting in [NiL 2 ] 3+ .2H 2 O and [NiL 2 (SO 4 )] + .H 2 O. As the sulphato complex [NiL 2 (SO 4 )] + .H 2 O is less stable than [NiL 1 (SO 4 )(H 2 O)] + in view of the weak H-bonding interactions in the former it can react faster. Thus the difference in the mode of bonding between Ni(III) and the water ligand can explain the rate of oxidation of H 2 O 2 by [Ni III L] complexes.