The mononuclear [Cu(3'MePyOIND)(2)] (3'MePyOINDH: 3-(3'-methyl-2'-pyridylimino)isoindoline-1-one) complex has been prepared and characterized by various techniques such as elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis and ESR spectroscopy. The title compound was suitable as catalyst for the catalytic oxidation of 3.5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC-H-2) to 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (3,5-DTBQ) (catecholase activity) with dioxygen at ambient condition in good yields. Kinetic measurements revealed first-order dependence on the catalyst and dioxygen concentration and saturation type behavior with respect to the corresponding substrate. It was also found that the complex shows dual effects, acts as a base deprotonating 3,5-DTBC-H-2 and also as a redox catalyst, activating O-2 during the oxidation reaction. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.