AbstractIn the present work, a simple synthetic route was reported for the preparation of azo oxime based Schiff base ligands and their Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes. 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐5‐(phenyldiazenyl)benzaldehyde oxime (HL1) ligand was synthesized by condensing 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐5‐(phenyldiazenyl)benzaldehyde and hydroxyl amine hydrochloride in the molar ratio 1:1. Nitro and chloro substituted ligands, 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐5‐((4‐nitro‐phenylazo)benzaldehyde oxime (HL2) and 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐chloro‐phenylazo)benzaldehyde oxime (HL3) respectively, were also synthesized by the same method. The synthesized ligands were used to prepare metal complexes of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) which were characterized by various analysis techniques. Ligands and their metal complexes were tested for their in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Ligands shows good antibacterial activity and it increases remarkebly after metal complexetion with MIC (Minimum inhibitory concentration) ranging from 3.90 μM/mL to 125 μM/mL for Zn(II) metal complexes over standard broad spectrum drug chloramphenicol having MIC 386 μM/mL against gram positive as well as gram negative bacteria. Synthesized ligands showing good antioxidant property which is comparable to that of natural antioxidant Ascorbic acid.