In this paper we report an efficient method for the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohols to aldehydes by supported palladium nanoparticles in a nanoporous metal–organic framework Cu₂(BDC)₂(DABCO) (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) under a temperature control program and through reduction by dimethylformamide. The Pd-NPs/Cu₂(BDC)₂(DABCO) offered higher catalytic activity and recyclability than reported in literature. The supported Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs/Cu₂(BDC)₂(DABCO)) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, BET analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).