Adherent polypyrrole films were electropolymerized from a near neutral sodium oxalate solution at pure Cu, CuZn and CuNi electrodes. The growth of these films was facilitated by the formation of a pseudo-passive oxalate layer. This layer was sufficiently protective to minimize dissolution of the substrate, but sufficiently conductive to enable the electropolymerization of pyrrole at the interface, and the generation of an adherent polypyrrole film. The rate of electropolymerization at the CuNi layer was reduced significantly by the formation of a nickel-rich oxide phase, however, the presence of Cu2+ increased the rate of polymer growth, enabling the formation of a thin polypyrrole layer during the early stages of polymerization. Likewise, the presence of zinc in the oxalate layer generated at the CuZn electrode reduced somewhat the rate of polymer formation. These films exhibited good corrosion protection properties in an acidified chloride solution.