8-Hydroxyquinolium chloroacetate (L 1 ) was synthesized and characterized. The results suggest that L 1 loses ethyl chloroacetate ion on coordination at low pH (2-5) and consequently it behaves as 8-hydoxyquinoline (L 2 ). Cu 2+ , Co 2+ , Pt 4+ , Pd 2+ , Au 3+ , Ag + and Nd 3+ complexes derived from L 2 have been synthesized and characterized using spectral, magnetic and thermal measurements. L 2 acts as a neutral bidentate ligand in the case of Cu 2+ , Co 2+ , Pt 4+ , Pd 2+ and Nd 3+ complexes and as a mononegative bidentate ligand in the case of Au 3+ and Ag + complexes. Octahedral geometry is proposed for Cu 2+ , Co 2+ (grey) and Pt 4+ complexes and square-planar for Co 2+ (green), Pd 2+ and Au 3+ complexes. The bond lengths, bond angles, chemical reactivities, binding energies and dipole moments for all compounds were evaluated using density functional theory and molecular electrostatic potential for L 1 . Superoxide dismutase radical scavenger-like activity and cytotoxic activity of the complexes towards HepG2 liver cancer cells has been screened. Cytotoxicity measurements show that Ag + and Pd 2+ complexes have the highest cytotoxic activity while L 1 , Cu 2+ , Co 2+ (grey), Co 2+ (green), Pt 4+ and Nd 3+ complexes have no cytotoxic activity.