The stability constants of the binary Cu(AA) + and Cu(AA) 2 complexes, where AA⁻ = L-phenyl-alaninate (Phe⁻) or L-tryptophanate (Trp⁻), have been determined by potentiometric pH titrations in water, and in 30, 50, 70 and 80% (v/v) dioxane—water mixtures (I = 0.1 M, NaNO 3 ; 25 °C); the corresponding data for the complexes with L-alaninate (Ala⁻), L-valinate (Val⁻), L-norvalinate (Nva⁻), and L-leucinate (Leu⁻) are taken from our recent work (G. Liang, R. Tribolet, and H. Sigel, inorg. Chim. Acta 155, 273 (1989)). The overall stability of Cu(AA) + and Cu(AA), is governed for all amino acetates (AA⁻) by the polarity of the solvent, while the extent of the intramolecular stack formation between the aromatic side chains in Cu(AA) 2 is influenced by the hydrophobic solvation properties of the organic solvent molecules (i.e., the ethylene units of dioxane). Based on the stability difference Δ log K* AA = log K Cu(AA) Cu(AA) 2 -log K Cu(AA) Cu it is shown that Cu(Phe) 2 and Cu(Trp) 2 are more stable than Cu(Ala) 2 , and this increased stability is used for evaluating the extent of the stack formation (= closed form) in Cu(Phe) 2 and Cu(Trp) 2 : the percentages of the closed forms vary between about 25 and 80% (based on Cu(AA),2/ tot ,), and those for Cu(Val) 2 , Cu(Leu) 2 and Cu(Nva) 2 between about 10 and 30%. The formation degree of the intramolecular side-chain adduct in Cu(AA) 2 decreases (in most solvents), as one might expect, within the series: Cu(Trp) 2 > Cu(Phe) 2 > Cu(Val) 2 ≳ Cu(Leu) 2 ≳ Cu(Nva) 2 . The corresponding observations are made with M(AA) 2 complexes of Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Zn 2+ . The influence of the organic solvent on the intramolecular hydrophobic and stacking adducts differs somewhat: (i) Stack formation in Cu(Phe) 2 and Cu(Trp) 2 is slightly inhibited by the presence of dioxane, but even in 50% (v/v) dioxane—water the formation degree of the aromatic-ring stacks is still more than 50%. (ii) Addition of some dioxane to an aqueous solution containing Cu(Val) 2 , Cu(Leu) 2 or Cu(Nva) 2 favors the formation of the aliphatic side-chain adducts; the largest formation degree being reached close to a content of 70% dioxane. Both observations contrast with the general experience made at unbridged hydrophobic or stacking adducts: these are considerably destabilized already by the addition of relatively small amounts of an organic solvent to an aqueous solution. Such a destabilization of the closed Cu(AA) 2 species occurs only at high concentrations of the organic solvent (usually more than 70%). It should be added that the organic solvent most probably influences the structure of the intramolecular ligand-ligand adducts giving rise to a whole series of “closed” species; a resolution is presently not possible and therefore the whole stability increase is attributed to a (single) so-called “closed” species to allow a quantification of the effect. The relevance of amino acid side-chain interactions regarding cooperativity, selectivity, evolutionary aspects, and low polarity regions, as in active-site cavities of proteins, are shortly indicated.