While benzotriazole (BTAH, C6H5N3) has long been known as an efficient inhibitor for the general corrosion of copper, this paper documents the occurrence of intergranular corrosion (IGC) of copper in a salt solution (3.5 wt.% NaCl) in the presence of I mM BTAH. This occurs above a breakdown potential, E-b, at the end of the passive region. Higher concentrations of BTAH broaden the passive region and shift E-b to more noble values. Pitting is the mode of corrosion above E-b in the presence of a higher concentration of BTAH, while IGC occurs above E-b in the presence of I mM of BTAH. (c) 2006 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.