Acetonitrile is easily oxygenated at ambient reaction conditions to copper(II) oxalate [Cu(bpy)(ox)](n) mediated by copper(l) chloride in the presence of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and 2,2'-bipyridine. In the case of other nitriles (e.g., propionitrile), instead, the unusual and selective 1,4-extradiol cleavage of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol occurs to give copper(II) tert-butylmaleate [Cu(bma)(bpy)(H2O)](n) in good yield.