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Copper complexes have been directly incorporated into cellulose acetate (CA) and the resulting light blue colored homogeneous films of 5-20 wt.% copper acetate complex concentrations are found to be thermally stable up to200 °C. The reaction chemistry of Cu in CA has been investigated by reacting them with small gas molecules such as CO, H 2 , D 2 , O 2 , NO, and olefins in the temperature range of 25-160 °C, and various Cu-hydride, -carbonyl, -nitrosyl, and olefin species coordinated to Cu sites in CA are characterized by IR and UV/ Vis spectroscopic study. The reduction of Cu(II) complexes by reacting with H 2 gas at the described conditions results in the formation of Cu 2 O and copper metal nanoparticles in CA, and their sizes in 30-120 nm range are found to be controlled by adjusting metal complex concentration in CA and/or the reduction reaction conditions. These small copper metal particles show various catalytic reactivity in hydrogenation of olefins and CH 3 CN; CO oxidation; and NO reduction reactions under relatively mild conditions.