Picolyl hydrazide ligands have two potentially bridging functional groups (micro-O, micro-N-N) and consequently can exist in different coordination conformers, both of which form spin-coupled polynuclear coordination complexes, with quite different magnetic properties. The complex [Cu(2)(POAP-H)Br(3)(H(2)O)] (1) involves a micro-N-N bridge (Cu-N-N-Cu 150.6 degrees ) and exhibits quite strong antiferromagnetic coupling (-2J = 246(1) cm(-)(1)). [Cu(2)(PZOAPZ-H)Br(3)(H(2)O)(2)] (2) has two Cu(II) centers bridged by an alkoxide group with a very large Cu-O-Cu angle of 141.7 degrees but unexpectedly exhibits quite weak antiferromagnetic exchange (-2J = 91.5 cm(-)(1)). This is much weaker than anticipated, despite direct overlap of the copper magnetic orbitals. Density functional calculations have been carried out on compound 2, yielding a similar singlet-triplet splitting energy. Structural details are reported for [Cu(2)(POAP-H)Br(3)(H(2)O)] (1), [Cu(2)(PZOAPZ-H)Br(3)(H(2)O)(2)] (2), [Cu(2)(PAOPF-2H)Br(2)(DMSO)(H(2)O)].H(2)O (3), [Cu(4)(POMP-H))(4)](NO(3))(4).2H(2)O (4), and PPOCCO (5) (a picolyl hydrazide ligand with a terminal oxime group) and its mononuclear complexes [Cu(PPOCCO-H)(NO(3))] (6) and [Cu(PPOCCO-H)Cl] (7). Compound 1 (C(12)H(13)Br(3)Cu(2)N(5)O(4)) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 15.1465(3) A, b = 18.1848(12) A, c = 6.8557(5) A, beta = 92.751(4) degrees, and Z = 4. Compound 2 (C(10)H(13)Br(3)Cu(2)N(7)O(4)) crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P, with a = 9.14130(1) A, b = 10.4723(1) A, c = 10.9411(1) A, alpha = 100.769(1), beta = 106.271(1) degrees, gamma = 103.447(1) degrees, and Z = 2. Compound 3 (C(23)H(22)Br(2)Cu(2)N(7)O(5.5)S) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 12.406(2) A, b = 22.157(3) A, c = 10.704(2) A, beta = 106.21(1) degrees, and Z = 4. Compound 4(C(52)H(48)Cu(4)N(20)O(18)) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 14.4439(6) A, b = 12.8079(5) A, c = 16.4240(7) A, beta = 105.199(1) degrees, and Z = 4. Compound 5 (C(15)H(14)N(4)O(2)) crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pna2(1), with a = 7.834(3) A, b = 11.797(4) A, c = 15.281(3) A, and Z = 4. Compound 6(C(15)H(13)CuN(5)O(5)) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 8.2818(9) A, b = 17.886(2) A, c = 10.828(1) A, beta = 92.734(2) degrees, and Z = 4. Compound 7 (C(15)H(13)CuClN(4)O(2)) crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pna2(1), with a = 7.9487(6) A, b = 14.3336(10) A, c = 13.0014(9) A, and Z = 4. Density functional calculations on PPOCCO are examined in relation to the anti-eclipsed conformational change that occurs on coordination to copper(II).