Two mononuclear complexes with the Schiff base ligand 2-((2-(dimethylamino)ethylimino)methyl)phenol (HL), namely ZnL₂ and CoL₂(N₃), have been synthesized and characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy (IR, ¹H NMR, UV–Vis, MS and EA). Both complexes are mononuclear. The coordination geometry in the Zn(II) complex is distorted square-pyramidal with a weak Zn···N interaction. The Co(III) complex is distorted octahedral, and the neutral molecule unit [Co^IIIL₂(N₃)] is connected by C–H···N hydrogen bonds to form a one-dimensional infinite chain. The luminescence of the zinc compound has been investigated.