An efficient catalyst based on the cage-like mesoporous material SBA-16 as the support and Cu(i) as active sites has been successfully prepared. The catalyst demonstrated high catalytic activity (up to 88%) in the direct oxidative synthesis of α-ketoamides between acetophenone and piperidine, employing O2 from open air as the oxidant without other additives. A heterogeneous catalyst was applied in this reaction for the first time, and the catalyst could be easily separated from the reaction system by filtration and reused several times without a significant loss of activity.