A new class of mimic model compounds for the type 1 copper site has been prepared by introducing the maleotritile-dithiolate, C4N2S22-, into the copper(II) sparteine moiety. The copper atom in the title compound adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry with a dihedral angle of 68.0° between the CuN2 and the CuS2 planes. The spectroscopic and redox properties of the compound offer a simulation of the copper donor set found in the blue copper protein.