The corrosion behaviour of copper in aerated 0.1 M NaCl solution in presence of 8-aminoquinoline (8-AQ), using open circuit potential (OCP) measurements, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM), was studied. The measurements revealed that the effect of 8-AQ is dependent on its concentration. For concentrations up to 10(-3) M, the organic compound displaces the corrosion potential following no trend and also reduces the anodic current. In contrast, for concentrations higher than 10(-3), 8-AQ reduces markedly both, the anodic and cathodic currents and consequently, the corrosion current density of copper. After 9 days of exposure in chloride solution, containing the organic compound, potentiodynamic polarization analyses showed a significant reduction in the anodic response and a less significant reduction in the cathodic response, which is associated with a film formed at the copper surface of about 10 mu m in thickness and visually observed by a colour change of the copper surface. In order to elucidate the most likely interaction between the 8-AQ molecule and the different molecular structures probably present on copper surfaces in chloride solutions, some results obtained from theoretical calculations are presented. The following molecular structures were considered: CuCl molecule, CuCl2- complex, and little copper clusters defect representation built as five atoms on C-4v symmetry. Thus, based on the geometric, energetic, frontier orbital, and Total Electronic Density analysis done for the optimized states found for the systems investigated, we suggest that the most probable interaction of 8-AQ proceeds above CuCl units and free copper sites. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.