The phase behavior of a molecular system is normally influenced by the shape & anisotropy of molecular interactions i.e. the polarity. While rod shape molecules prefer the formation of classical climatic phases, the disc shape molecules form predominantly the columnar phase. The parent benzylidene derivatives of nickel (II) complexes having relatively linear shape showed climatic phases. However, introduction of two/three alkoxy chains & a substituent at the azomethiene moiety considerably increases the width of the molecule & consequently the mesosphere exhibited by the present complexes are columnar phase. The mesosphere characterization was carried out by optical microscopic observation.