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 to 200 $^{circ}C$. The reaction chem istry of Cu in CA has been investigated by reacting them with small gas molecules such as CO, H2, D2, O2, NO, and olefins in the temperature range of 25-160 $^{circ}C$, 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 H2 gas at the described conditions results in the formation of Cu2O 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 CH3CN; CO oxidation; and NO reduction reactions under relatively mild conditions.