A novel asymmetric monosubstituted 1,10-phenanthroline, Hophen.0.5 H(2)O (1, Hophen=1H-[1,10]phenanthrolin-2-one), was generated by a facile route, and a novel class of crystalline, d(10)-metal, monomeric or oligomeric complexes of this ligand, namely [Hg(ophen)(2)].4 H(2)O.CH(2)Cl(2) (2), [Cd(3)Cl(ophen)(5)].1.5 H(2)O.2 CH(2)Cl(2) (3), and [Zn(4)O(ophen)(4)(OAc)(2)].4H(2)O.2 CH(2)Cl(2) (4), were obtained by means of liquid diffusion, and were characterized by X-ray crystallography and photoluminescence studies. Complex 1 exhibits a hydrogen-bonded dimeric structure, 2 is a neutral monomeric complex, 3 has a trinuclear structure with the ophen ligand acting as a bridge through the ketone groups, and 4 features a tetranuclear Zn(4)O core that is consolidated further by bridging ophen and acetate ligands. All the complexes display photoluminescent properties in the blue/green region. The photoluminescent mechanisms were investigated by means of molecular orbital calculations, which showed that the photoluminescent properties are ligand-based and can be tuned upon ligation to different metal ions.