A new family of tridentate ligands PhimpH (2-((2-phenyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)hydazono)methyl)phenol), N-PhimpH (2-((2-phenyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)hydrazono)methyl)napthalen-1-ol), Me-PhimpH (2-(1-(2-phenyl-2-(pyridine-2-yl)hydrazono)ethyl)phenol) have been synthesized and characterized. The ligands PhimpH and N-PhimpH after deprotonation react with manganese(II) and manganese(III) starting materials affording [Mn(Phimp)(2)] (1), [Mn(Phimp)(2)](ClO(4)) (2), [Mn(N-Phimp)(2)] (3), [Mn(N-Phimp)(2)](ClO(4)) (4). Complexes [Mn(Phimp)(2)] (1) and [Mn(N-Phimp)(2)] (3) convert to [Mn(Phimp)(2)](+) (cation of 2) and [Mn(N-Phimp)(2)](+) (cation of 4) respectively upon oxidation. Ligand Me-PhimpH stabilized only manganese(III) centre resulting [Mn(Me-Phimp)(2)](ClO(4)) (5). The molecular structures of [Mn(Phimp)(2)], 1 and [Mn(Phimp)(2)](ClO(4)), 2 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray crystal structures of 1 and 2 have revealed the presence of distorted octahedral MnN(4)O(2) coordination sphere having meridionally spanning ligands. Electrochemical studies for the complexes showed Mn(II)/Mn(III), (E(1/2)=0.14-0.40V) and Mn(III)/Mn(IV), (E(1/2)=0.80-1.06V) couples vs. Ag/AgCl. The redox properties were exploited to examine superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity using Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple. The complexes 1, 2, 4 and 5 have been revealed to catalyze effectively the dismutation of superoxide (O(2)(.-)) in xanthine-xanthine oxidase-nitro blue tetrazolium assay and IC(50) values were found to be 0.29, 0.39, 1.12 and 0.76 microM respectively. DNA interaction studies with complex 2 showed binding of DNA in a non-intercalative pathway. Complexes 1, 2 and 4 exhibited nuclease activity in presence of H(2)O(2) and inhibition of activity was noted in presence of KI.