Résumé : The ternary complexes of copper (II) with glycine, alanine, aspartate or glutamate as primary ligand and pyruvate as secondary ligand have been investigated using differential pulse polarography. The reversible diffusion controlled reduction of the complexed ion reveals two mixed complexes to be formed with stoichiometries 1:1:1 and 1:2:1. Their overall formation constants in a sodium perchlorate supporting electrolyte have been calculated at μ=0.1 and 25°C. © 1989, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.