Abstract Five new complexes, M(CO)5(nafesh) (M = Cr (1), Mo (2), W (3)), Re(CO)4Br(nafesh) (4) and Mn(CO)3(nafesh) (5) have been synthesized by the photochemical reaction of metal carbonyls M(CO)6 (M = Cr, Mo, W), Re(CO)5Br, and Mn(CO)3Cp with 2-hydroxy-1-napthaldehyde ethanesulfonylhydrazone (nafesh). The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, EI mass spectrometry, FT-IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy. The spectroscopic studies show that nafesh behaves as a monodentate ligand coordinating via imine N donor atom in M(CO)5(nafesh) (M = Cr, Mo, W) and Re(CO)4Br(nafesh) and as tridentate ligand in Mn(CO)3(nafesh).