A total of five new metal complexes derivatives of 2-{[5-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino]methyl}phenol (HL) with the metal ions [Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Sn(II)] have been successfully prepared in alcoholic medium. The complexes obtained are characterized quantitatively and qualitatively by using microelemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, 1 H and 13 C NMR, magnetic susceptibility and conductivity measurements. From the spectral study, all the complexes obtained as monomeric structure and the metals centre moieties are four-coordinated with distorted tetrahedral geometry except Cu(II) complex which existed as a distorted square planar geometry. The preliminary in vitro antibacterial screening activity revealed that complexes 1-5 showed moderate activity against tested bacterial strains and slightly higher compared to the parent ligand.