Three Cu(II) complexes with derivatives of the benzo[b]furancarboxylic acid have been synthesized and characterized by the elemental and thermal analyses, and IR spectroscopy. The geometry of metal-ligand interaction for all compounds has been described using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and for one of them by X-ray crystallography. Two mononuclear Cu(II) complexes, with 7-acetyl-5-bromo-6-hydroxy-3-methylbenzo[b]furan-2-carboxylic and 6-acetyl-5-hydroxy-2-methylbenzo[b]furan-3-carboxylic acids, exhibit a tetra-fold coordination, CuO4. The Cu(II) cation in crystals with 7-acetyl-6-methoxy-3-methyl-benzo[b]furan-2-carboxylic acid is penta-coordinated; the bridging COO groups and ethanol molecule stabilize the dinuclear center Cu2O10. The powdered form of this complex is based on the Cu2O8 units, indicating the absence of the ethanol molecules. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.