Copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes supported by a popular beta-diketiminate ligand (1(-), 2-mesitylamino-4-mesitylimino-2-pentene), [Cu-II(1)(AcO)] and [{Zn-II(1)}(2)(mu-MeO)(mu-AcO)], have been demonstrated to undergo an oxidative degradation to give a ketone diimine derivative (2) under aerobic conditions. The crystal structures of the mononuclear copper(II) and dinuclear zinc(II) complexes of the beta-diketiminate ligand as well as the copper(II) complex of the modified ligand have been determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Mechanism for the oxidative degradation reaction of the beta-diketiminate ligand is also discussed.