Different Cu catalysts have been used for the hydrogenation of very low value mint oils, namely, dementholized cornmint oil and Spanish pennyroyal oil.During the hydrogenation of dementholized oil Cu/Al 2 O 3 showed the best activity and selectivity towards a mixture of menthols, while stereoselectivity toward the valuable isomer (−)-menthol can be improved by selectively dehydrogenating the products mixture.In the hydrogenation of pulegone and pennyroyal oil Cu/Al 2 O 3 showed an unprecedented activity allowing complete transformation of the substrate into menthols under very mild experimental conditions (1atm H 2 , 90°C). Moreover, a dynamic kinetic resolution process taking place during the hydrogenation step, allows to enrich the mixture in (−)-menthol.