Highly efficient liquid-phase oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes with oxygen catalysed by Ru–Co oxide

RuIV–CoIII (1 : 1.5) binary oxide, prepared by co-precipitation, is a highly efficient solid catalyst for the oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes with O2 (76–95% selectivity at 54–100% conversion) in a liquid phase under atmospheric pressure.