Furfuryl　alcohol　(FOL)　is　commercially　available　by　selective　hydrogenation　of　furfural　(FAL).　A　variety　of　catalysts　have　been　developed　for　such　purpose,　among　which　Cu-based　catalysts　show　superior　catalytic　performance.　However,　copper　nanoparticles　with　complex　valence　states　are　easy　to　agglomerate　during　hydrogenation　reaction,　which　might　have　a　negative　influence　on　the　catalytic　performance.　The　carbon　coating　is　an　efficient　strategy　to　prevent　the　sintering　of　Cu-based　catalysts.　Herein,　a　strategy　based　on　the　thermal　decomposition　of　Cu-EDTA　complex　was　designed　to　prepare　carbon　encapsulated　Cu-based　catalysts.　The　prepared　catalysts　were　applied　in　the　selective　hydrogenation　of　FAL　to　FOL　in　the　batch　reactor.　The　results　showed　that　a　nearly　quantitative　conversion　of　FAL　with　a　selectivity　of　98.7　%　towards　FOL　was　achieved　using　CuOx@NC-150　(molar　ratio　of　Cu:　Na4EDTA·4H2O=2:1;　obtained　by　oxidative　activation　at　150　°C)　under　140　°C,　3　MPa　in　4　h.　The　performance　was　comparable　to　that　of　the　commercial　CuCr2O4　catalyst　under　the　identical　conditions.　In　addition,　the　developed　carbon　encapsulated　Cu-based　catalysts　exhibited　a　slightly　better　stability　than　CuCr2O4　catalyst　in　terms　of　FOL　yield　in　five　consecutive　cycles.　XPS　and　XAES　characterizations　implied　that　the　presence　of　a　suitable　surface　ratio　of　Cu+/(Cu++Cu0)　of　the　prepared　catalyst　may　contribute　to　the　selective　hydrogenation　of　FAL　to　FOL.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.