Аннотация:tThree new water-soluble copper(II) complexes [Cu(HL)(H2O){(CH3)2NCHO}] (1), [Cu(H2L)2(im)4]·CH3OH(2) and [Cu(HL)(CH3OH)]2(2-py) (3) were synthesized from copper(II) nitrate and sodium (Z)-2-(2-(1,3-dioxo-1-(phenylamino)butan-2-ylidene)hydrazinyl)benzene-sulfonate (NaH2L), in the absence (for 1)and presence of imidazole (im) (for 2) or pyrazine (py) (for 3), and fully characterized. The complexes1–3 have been tested as stereoselective C H activating catalysts for the model nitroaldol (Henry) conden-sation of nitroethane with various aldehydes in water. 1 was the most active catalyst affording 64−87%yields with syn/anti diasteroselectivities up to 77:23.