In this paper, an efficient and green CuMgA catalyst was prepared with the co-precipitation method. The geometric structure and electronic properties of the catalyst was analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FI-IR). It was found that Cu nanoparticles in the catalyst had uniform dispersion with a suitable Cu0 to Cu+ ratio. Also, the calcination temperature had a significant effect on the composition and structure of the Cu-based catalyst, and the prepared CuMgAl catalyst could be calcinated at 723 K to obtain particles with small size and highly dispersed Cu+ and Cu0 species. In addition, Catalytic hydrogenation of dimethyl 1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate (DMCD) was carried out with a high-pressure reactor using a CuMgAl catalyst. Surprisingly, under mild conditions with an initial hydrogen pressure of 2.8 Mpa, the conversion of DMCD was up to 100%, and the product selectivity of 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol can reach 91.6%, which meaning important guiding significance for further industrial applications to achieve a more efficient and environmentally friendly production process.Graphical Abstract: