Four different types of new ligands Ar[COC(NOH)R](n) (Ar=biphenyl, n = 1 H(2)L(1); Ar=biphenyl, n = 2 H(4)L(2); Ar=diphenylmethane, n = 1 H(2)L(3); Ar=diphenylmethane, n = 2 H(4)L(4); R=2-amino-4-chlorophenol in all ligands) have been obtained from 1 equivalent of chloroketooximes Ar[COC(NOH)Cl](n) (HL1-H2L4) and 1 equivalent of 2-amino-4-chlorophenol (for H(2)L(1) and H(2)L(3)) or 2 equivalent of 2-amino-4-chlorophenol (for H(4)L(2) and H(4)L(4)). (Mononuclear or binuclear cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes were synthesized with these ligands.) These compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, AAS, infra-red spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The ligands have been further characterized by (1)H NMR. The results suggest that the dinuclear complexes of H(2)L(1) and H(2)L(3) have a metal:ligand ratio of 1:2; the mononuclear complexes of H(4)L(2) and H(4)L(4) have a metal:ligand ratio of 1:1 and dinuclear complexes H(4)L(2) and H(4)L(4) have a metal:ligand ratio of 2:1. The binding properties of the ligands towards selected transition metal ions (Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), Hg(II)) have been established by extraction experiments. The ligands show strong binding ability towards mercury(II) ion. In addition, the thermal decomposition of some complexes is studied in nitrogen atmosphere