A new copper (II) Schiff base complex, CuL1, was prepared from the reaction of asymmetrical Schiff base ligand of L1 and Cu(OAC)2 (L1 = salicylidene imino-ethylimino-pentan-2-one). The Schiff base ligand, L1, and its copper (II) complex, CuL1, have been characterized by elemental analysis (CHN) and FT-IR and UV–vis spectroscopy. In addition, 1H NMR was employed for characterization of the ligand. Thermogrametric analysis of the CuL1 reveals its thermal stability and its decomposition pattern shows that it is finally decomposed to the copper oxide (CuO). The crystal structure of CuL1 was determined by the single crystal X-ray analysis. The CuL1 complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system, with space group P21/n and distorted square planar coordination around the metal ion. The Schiff base ligand of L1 acts as a chelating ligand and coordinates via two nitrogen and two oxygen atoms to the copper (II) ion with C1 symmetry. The structure of the CuL1 complex was also studied theoretically at different levels of DFT and basis sets. According to calculated results the CO bond length of the salicylate fragment is slightly higher than that in the acetylacetonate fragment of ligand, which could be interpreted by resonance increasing between phenyl and chelated rings in ligand in relative to the acetylacetonate fragment.

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