<p>A sustainable approach to chemistry is achieved by utilizing heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of chemicals derived from biomass. In this study, Cu/Y-Zeolite catalysts were prepared by using impregnation method and then explored for hydrogenating γ-valerolactone (GVL) to methyl tetrahydrofuran (MTHF). As synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Temperature programmed reduction (TPR-H₂), Temperature programmed desorption (TPD-NH₃), UV-DRS, and HR-TEM analysis reveals their structural surface, electronic properties and spectroscopic attributes. The Lewis and Bronsted acidity further confirmed by Py-IR spectroscopy. The N₂O decomposition studies were employed to evaluate the copper surface area and its particle size. When GVL was hydrogenated over the 5CYZ catalyst at 250&#xa0;°C and a hydrogen pressure of 0.1&#xa0;MPa, a GVL conversion 92.1%, and the MTHF selectivity of 84% were achieved. The enhanced distribution of Cu particles and the existence of strong acidic sites on the support surface were attributed to the cooperative interaction between Cu and YZ in the 5CYZ catalyst. Further, the reaction conditions such as temperature, GVL input rate, and catalyst amount were optimized to achieve optimal conversion of GVL to MTHF with high selectivity. The consistent performance of catalysts is crucial to cost-effective and sustainable industrial applications, where long-term stability and reusability are key factors.</p> Graphic abstract <p></p>