The reactions of a range of aromatic primary amines with pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde were reported, highlighting the effect of the substituents of the amine on the outcomes of the Schiff base reactions. The variant products of the Schiff base reactions were reacted with cis-[PtCl2(DMSO)2], generating platinum(II) complexes with PtCl2(N^N) general formula. The ligands and platinum(II) complexes were identified and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopic methods. Single crystal XRD offered structural confirmation for three of the organic compounds and two platinum complexes. The spectral, antimicrobial, DNA-binding and molecular docking of the platinum complexes were studied, highlighting the effect of the different functional group in the Schiff base ligands on their properties. In general, introducing the electron-withdrawing group nitro or acetyl in the 2-pyridyl Schiff base ligands, results in a red-shift in the absorption maxima of the platinum complex. In addition, the enhancement in the antimicrobial activities and the increase in the ct-DNA-binding affinity were also observed when the nitro or acetyl functional group is introduced to the Schiff base ligand in the platinum(II) complex. Keywords: Pyridyl Schiff base, Platinum(II) complexes, Biological activity, DNA binding, Molecular docking