Cu(ii)/MCM-41,　Cu(i)/MCM-41　and　Cu(0)/MCM-41　materials　were　prepared　with　Cu[OCHMeCH2NMe2]2/MCM-41　as　precursor　under　controlled　conditions.　The　states　of　copper　on　the　resulting　samples　were　characterized　by　temperature　programmed　reduction　(TPR),　UV-Vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(UV-Vis　DRS),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　photoluminescence　spectroscopy　(PL),　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR)　of　NO　and　CO　adsorption,　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　and　N2　adsorption.　It　was　shown　that　pure　Cu(ii)/MCM-41　can　be　acquired　by　calcining　Cu[OCHMeCH　2NMe2]2/MCM-41　in　pure　oxygen　at　573　K.　Pure　Cu(i)/MCM-41　can　be　obtained　by　reducing　the　as-prepared　Cu(ii)/MCM-41　in　a　CO/He　atmosphere　at　473　K,　while　pure　Cu(0)/MCM-41　can　be　obtained　via　reduction　of　the　Cu(ii)/MCM-41　in　a　CO/He　atmosphere　at　673　K.　The　Cu(ii)-O　and　Cu(i)-O　species　were　showed　to　be　highly　dispersed　on　the　surface　of　MCM-41　as　isolated　sites.　The　study　provides　an　alternative　method　for　the　preparation　of　pure　copper　metal　or　copper　oxide　supported　materials.　©　2009　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　and　the　Centre　National　de　la　Recherche　Scientifique.