The tetradentate ligand N,N‘-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-phenylenediamine, H4L1, has been prepared, and its square planar complexes [CuII(L3)] and [ZnII(L3)] have been synthesized from the reaction of H4L1 with [CuI(NCCH3)4](ClO4) or Zn(BF4)2·2H2O in methanol in the presence of air. The dianion (L3)2- represents the two-electron oxidized form of (L1)4-, namely N,N‘-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-diiminoquinone. Complexes [CuII(L3)]·CH3CN and [Zn(L3)]·CH3CN have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, EPR spectroscopy, and magnetochemistry; [CuII(L3)] has an S = 1/2 ground state, and [Zn(L3)] is diamagnetic. Cyclic voltammetry established that both complexes undergo two successive reversible one-electron oxidations and two successive reversible one-electron reductions. Thus, the coordinated ligand exists in five oxidation levels. The species [MII(L4)]PF6 (M = CuII, ZnII) and [MII(L5)](ClO4)2 (M = CuII, ZnII) have been isolated and characterized by UV/vis, EPR, and 1H NMR spe...