The syntheses of three anilido–imine ligands of the general formula ortho‐C6H4(NHAr′)(CH=NAr″ [Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″ = 2,6‐Me2C6H3 (2a); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″= 2,6‐Et2C6H3 (2b); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″= 2,6‐iPr2C6H3 (2c)] and four zinc(II) complexes of the general formula [ortho‐C6H4(NHAr′)(CH=NAr″)]ZnEt [Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″= 2,6‐Me2C6H3 (3a); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″= 2,6‐Et2C6H3 (3b); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me2)C9H4N, Ar″ = 2,6‐iPr2C6H3 (3c); Ar″ = 2,6‐Me2C6H3, Ar″ = 2,6‐iPr2C6H3 (3d)] are described. The complexes were synthesized from the reaction of ZnEt2 with corresponding ligands 2 by alkane elimination. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of compounds 2a, 2b, 3b, and 3c were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The X‐ray analysis reveals that complexes 3b and 3c exist in the dimeric form with the N atom in the quinolyl ring coordinating to the other Zn atom to make the Zn atoms four coordinate. Luminescent properties of ligands 2a–2d and complexes 3a–3d in both solution and the solid state were studied. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)