Bonding in the chromophore trans-CuN2S2 has been investigated using ESR and electronic spectra of single crystals of Cu(II) doped (∼2%) trans-bis (thiosemicarbazide) Ni(II) sulfate trihydrate and trans-bis (thiosemicarbazide) Cu(II) nitrate. The unpaired electron is described, in the ``hole'' formalism, in terms of molecular orbitals of D2h symmetry. Crystal polarized spectra of the undiluted nitrate allow a reasonable, if not unambiguous, assignment of d–d bands. Combination of magnetic and optical results gives all bonding parameters, apart from those for the nonmagnetic Ag(d3z2−r2) orbital. All bonds, and particularly Cu–S, are highly covalent in character. The σ Cu–S bond is roughly twice as covalent as σ Cu–N bond. The out-of-plane π bonds, and in-plane σ bonds, show covalence similar to that observed in D4h (CuN4) chromophores and ∼ D4h (more strictly C4v) (CuS4+S). This suggests that bonds between two trans ligands and the copper ion are not influenced by the second pair of bonds in square planar complexes.