A novel copper(Ⅱ) complex with tert-butyl 2-[N-(tert-butyloxycarbonylmethyl)-2-picolyamino]acetate(ampy) was synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectrum, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, UV-vis spectrum and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, respectively. A mononuclear copper(II) complex with ampy, [Cu(ampy)Cl2](1), was formed irrespective of the metal-to-ligand molar ratios([Cu2+]:[ampy] = 0.5:1, 1:1, and 2:1) as a single product. Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with a = 12.343(2), b = 18.928(3), c = 20.058(4) ?, V = 4686.1(14) ?3, Z = 8, Dc = 1.3349(4) g/cm~3, F(000) = 1920, S = 1.016, R = 0.0693 and w R = 0.1721 for 3151 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I). X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the central copper(II) ion is bound by pyridyl N, tertiary amine N and carbonyl O atoms of the quadridentate ampy as well as two Cl anions, constructing a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Complex 1 further constructs a stable 3D supramolecular architecture by intermolecular C–H···Cl hydrogen bonds. In addition, the molecular geometry was calculated by density functional theory(DFT/B3LYP) method with the basis sets(6-31+G(d,p) for H, C, N, O and Cl atoms, and LANL2 DZ for Cu atom, respectively). The calculated results show that the optimized geometrical parameters are in good agreement with the experimental data. Natural bond orbital(NBO) analysis and frontier molecular orbitals(FMOs) analysis were investigated at the same level. A novel copper (Ⅱ) complex with tert-butyl 2- [N- (tert-butyloxycarbonylmethyl) -2-picolyamino] acetate (ampy) was synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectrum, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, A mononuclear copper (II) complex with ampy, [Cu (ampy) Cl2] (1), was formed irrespective of the metal-to-ligand molar ratios ([ Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with a = 12.343 (2), b = 18.928 (3) , D = 1.3349 (4) g / cm ~ 3, F (000) = 1920, S = 1.016, R = 0.0693 and w R = 0.1721 for 3151 observed reflections with I> 2σ (I). X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the central copper (II) ion is bound by pyridyl N, tertiary amine N and carbonyl O atoms of the quadruple Cl anions, constructing a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Complex 1 f urther constructs a stable 3D supramolecular architecture by intermolecular C-H ··· Cl hydrogen bonds. In addition, the molecular geometry was calculated by density functional theory (DFT / B3LYP) method with the basis sets (6-31 + G (d, p) for H, C, N, O and Cl atoms, and LANL2 DZ for Cu atom, respectively). The calculated results show that the optimized geometrical parameters are in good agreement with the experimental data. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) analysis were investigated at the same level.