Six metal-amine complexes, Cu(acac) 2 (trien), Zn(acac) 2 (en), Zn(acac) 2 (trien), Cu(NO 3 ) 2 (en) 2 , Cu(NO 3 ) 2 (trien), and Cu(NO 3 ) 2 (tetraen), are synthesized from metal acetylacetonates [M(acac) 2 , where M 5 Cu and Zn] or metal nitrate [M(NO 3 ) 2 , where M 5 Cu] and aliphatic amines (en 5 ethylenediamine, trien 5 triethylenetetramine, and tetraen 5 tetraethylenepentamine). These metal-amine complexes can be used as catalysts in the preparation of rigid polyurethane (RPUR) foams. All metal-amine complexes emit very weak odor when compared with N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine (DMCHA), which is a commercial catalyst commonly used in the preparation of RPUR foams. DMCHA emits very strong amine odor that affects working environment in RPUR foam processing. Among all metal complexes, Cu(acac) 2 (trien) has the highest catalytic activity. In comparison with DMCHA, Cu(acac) 2 (trien) shows slightly higher catalytic activity in gelling reaction but lower catalytic activity in blowing reaction. RPUR foam prepared from Cu(acac) 2 (trien) has lower density and compressive strength than that prepared from DMCHA. V C 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42332.