The potential tridentate Schiff base ligand 2-[1-(2-pyridyl-methyl-imino)eth-yl]pyrrole (HL) was synthesized from the condensation of 2-acetyl-pyrrole with 2-amino-methyl-pyridine. The title compound, [Cu(C(12)H(12)N(3))Cl], was synthesized from HL and copper(II) chloride using triethyl-amine as a base to deprotonate the pyrrole NH group. The title compound is a monomer and the central copper(II) ion is bound to three N atoms of the deprotonated tridentate ligand and to one chloride ion in a square-planar N(3)Cl coordination.