A novel compound Cu(phen)(m-CBA)(2) was synthesized with m-chlorobenzoic acid(m-CBA), 1,10-phenanthroline(phen) and Cu(OAc)(2)center dot H2O. It was characterized by IR, UV, elemental analyses and X-ray crystallography. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with C2/c space group, a=2.9699(4) nm, b=1.15452(2) nm, c=1.5335(2) nm, beta=111.118(2)degrees, V=4.905 1(1) nm(3), Z=8, F(000)=2 328, R-1=0.072 8, wR(2)=0.223 4 [I>2 sigma(I)]. Structure analysis shows that the copper center coordinates with two nitrogen atoms from one 1,10-phenanthroline molecule, two oxygen atoms from two m-chlorobenzoic acid molecules, giving a distorted squared planar coordination geometry. This novel compound shows paramagnetic interactions between copper centers.