The thermal decomposition process of non-natural amino acid tert-butoxycarbonyl-p-fluoro-phenylalanine (FC6H4CH2CH[NHCOOC(CH3)(3)]COOH, the so-called Boc-p-fluoro-phenylalanine) is slightly different from that of its iodo analogue (IC6H4CH2CH[NHCOOC(CH3)(3)]COOH, Boc-p-iodo-phenylalanine) The dehydration reaction of the two non-natural amino acids is intramolecular, but not intermolecular. The complex of copper has been prepared through a solid-liquid reaction between the powder of Boc-p-iodo-phenylalanine and the aqueous solution of copper nitrate. The chemical and thermal analysis and the infrared spectra show that the new compound is the complex of p-iodo-phenylalanine and copper with crystal water [Cu(IC6H4CH2CHNH2COO)(2)]. 0.5H(2)O. The iodine atom in the organic ligand may also be coordinated directly to the copper ion in crystals of the new complex.