Carboxyl functionalized 2-phenylquinoline derivatives, 2-(4-fluorophenyl)quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (HL1) and 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (HL2) were synthesized. Further reaction of these ligands with Cd(CH3COO)(2) afforded new cadmium complexes, [Cd-2(L-1)(4)(CH3OH)(4)]center dot 1.5H(2)O (1) and [Cd-2(L-2)(4)(CH3OH)(4)] (2), respectively. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The fluorescent behavior and antibacterial (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) activities of these compounds have been studied. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.