The synthesis and characterization of Hno1pa2py, a new tacn-based ligand, is reported. The complexation process with Cu2+ was proved to be very fast even in acidic medium. Potentiometric titrations allowed us to establish that Hno1pa2py exhibits an overall low basicity as well as a high selectivity for Cu2+ over Zn2+ cations. The copper(II) complex was synthesized and characterized using UV–vis and EPR spectroscopies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The studies clearly showed that the [Cu(no1pa2py)]+ complex is present in solution as a mixture of two isomers in which the ligand is coordinated to the metal center using a N5O donor set with the metal center in a distorted octahedral geometry. The very high kinetic inertness of the [Cu(no1pa2py)]+ complex was demonstrated by using acid-assisted dissociation assays as well as cyclic voltammetry. Preliminary investigations of 64Cu complexation were performed to validate the potential use of such chelating agent for further application in nuclear medicine. The X-ray crystal structures of copper(II) complexes of L1, the ester derivative of Hno1pa2py, have been determined