Preparations, XPS and electronic spectroscopy, and magnetism of seven new one-dimensional cyano-bridged coordination polymers, chiral [Cu(RR-chxn) 2 ][Pd(CN) 4 ]·2H 2 O (1), [Cu(trans-chxn) 2 ][M(CN) 4 ]·2H 2 O (2, 4, and 6 for M=Pd, Ni, and Pt), and [Cu(cis-chxn) 2 ][M(CN) 4 ]·2H 2 O (3, 5, and 7 for M=Pd, Ni, and Pt) (RR-chxn=cyclohexane-(1R,2R)-diamine, trans-chxn=racemic trans-cyclohexane-(1,2)-diamine, and cis-chxn=racemic cis-cyclohexane-(1,2)-diamine) have been reported in view of tuning of their electronic properties by stereochemistry of chxn ligands and metal-substitution. Comparison of Cu 2p 1/2 and 2p 3/2 peaks of XPS and broad d–d bands around 18000cm −1 of electronic spectra are described systematically for 1–7. Variable-temperature magnetic measurement shows that complexes 1–7 indicate weak antiferromagnetic interactions via cyano-bridges. Because of semi-coordination coupled with pseudo Jahn–Teller elongation and electrostatic interaction for 1, the axial Cu–N coordination bond distances of 2.330(7) and 3.092(8)Å are considerably longer than those of equatorial ones in the range from 2.016(6) to 2.030(6)Å. The former bond distances of 1 are intermediate values among the related Ni (2.324(6) and 3.120(8)Å) and Pt (2.34(1) and 3.09(1)Å) complexes.