A new complex [Cu-2(sala)(2)(H2O)(2)(4,4'-bipy)]center dot H2O (sala = N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-D,L-alaninate, 4,4'-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in monoclinic system, space group C2/c with a = 42.44(3), b = 10.416(8), c = 15.487(13) angstrom, beta = 97.455(14)degrees, C30H36Cu2N4O9, M-r = 723.71, V = 6789(9) angstrom(3), D-c = 1.416 g/cm(3), Z = 8, F(000) = 2992, mu(MoK alpha) = 1.308 mm(-1), R = 0.0493 and wR = 0.1004 for 4878 observed reflections (I > 2 sigma(I)). Structural analysis shows that each copper(II) atom displays a distorted square-based pyramidal coordination geometry with two oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom from one N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-D,L-alaninate, one nitrogen atom from 4,4'-bipyridine ligand and one water molecule. 4,4'-Bipyridine ligand bridges two Cu(II) ions to form a dinuclear compound. The molecular structure is extended into a one-dimensional wavy chain through hydrogen bonds. These 1D chains are further expanded into 2D networks through hydrogen bonds.