2-Substituted 8-quinolinols possessing two- ( 4) or three- ( 6) carbon side chains have been prepared from 2-formyl-8-quinolinol. A carbanion, generated on the side chain, serves as the C-donor of the bonding triad. The complexation with Pd II or Pt II salts in the presence of pyridine, as an external ligand, afforded the desired neutral chelates having MC σ-bond as well as the 2:1 ML 2 complex, possessing the intact methine proton. In the case of 6c possessing a pendant acetylacetonyl moiety, the 1H NMR spectrum suggested a predominance of the enol form, and upon complexation, the 2:1 ML 2 complex was formed. Since these new ligands have three different hetero donor atoms, a novel palladium complex containing four different ( C, N, O, P) coordinating sites, by the use of tri(n-butyl)phosphine as an external ligand, was prepared.