The bidentate carboxamide ligand N-(thiazole-2-yl) picolinamide (LH) was synthesized in the environmentally friendly ionic liquid TBAB, and the five-coordinated Cu-II-complex, [Cu(L)(2)(H2O)]center dot CHCl3 (1) was synthesized from LH and copper(II)acetate. Cupric oxide [CuO] nanoparticles (2) have been prepared by the thermal decomposition of (1) as a new precursor at 600 degrees C for 3 h under air atmosphere. (1) was characterised using FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses and its solid state structure was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. (2) were identified by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and thermo-gravimetric differential thermal analyses. The electrochemical behaviour of LH and has (1) been investigated by cyclic voltammetry: irreversible Cu-II/I reductions were observed. The catalytic activity of (1) and (2) were evaluated in the one-pot azide-alkyne cycloaddition click reaction in water without additional agents. LH, (1) and (2) were also screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity: they showed promising antibacterial activity comparable to that of the antibiotic penicillin.