A novel disodium salt of bisdithiocarbamate of urea (UBDT) and its Cu(II) complex Cu(II)UBDT were prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, IR, electronic and NMR spectroscopy, conductivity measurements and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Water-soluble UBDT possessed good chelating ability for various metal ions. Its copper (II) complex, Cu(II)UBDT was amorphous, intractable solid having polymeric structure. The ligand as well as the complex was found to possess high thermal stability. UBDT cyclised on heating to yield a heterocyclic compound ("X", probably highly stabilised by resonance) which also showed coordinating tendency for various metal ions. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.