(1b, 2e, 3f, 4c, 5d) carrying ether tethers with hydroxyl and methoxy groups, have been synthesized from pyridine aldehyde and the respective amines by reductive amination. Their Cu(II) complexes carrying additional nitrato (6a–b) and perchlorato (7a–e) ligands, respectively, have been characterized and subjected to DNA cleavage studies. Since the hydrolytic DNA cleavage activity of 6a is known from