Oxo-molybdenum chemistry is of great interest since such units are found in the active sites of a majority of molybdo-enzymes. In order to mimic the biological systems, a number of oxo-molybdenum complexes have been synthesised and studied. This review describes synthesis, structure and applications of oxomolybdenum complexes particularly cis-MoO2(L)(D) where L stands for a dianionic tridentate ONO ligand and D for a donor solvent molecule/monodentate ligand. The ligand moieties are derived from Schiff base, hydrazide Schiff base and other related tridentate ligands L(H)2. The coordination geometry around the Mo center in these complexes can be best described as a distorted octahedron in which the ONO-tridentate ligand occupies meridional position with two anionic oxygen donors mutually trans and are cis to the oxygen centers of the cis-dioxo group. Mostly the applications of cis-MoO2-(ONO) type complexes seen in literature are oxo transfer reactions like epoxidation, sulfoxidation and phosphine oxidation reactions. © Indian Academy of Sciences.