Gold nanoparticles supported on magnesium oxide were shown to be efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the liquid-phase oxidation of a wide range of alcohols using molecular oxygen as a sole oxidant in the absence of co-catalysts or additives. The Au/MgO material was prepared through the deposition-precipitation method and characterized by XRD, XPS, XAS, HRTEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and N-2 adsorption techniques. The formation of gold nanoparticles on the MgO surface under temperature programmed reduction was monitored by in situ UV-Vis-Mass spectroscopy. Various carbonylic monoterpenoids important for fragrance and pharmaceutical industries were obtained in good to excellent yields starting from biomass-based monoterpenic alcohols, such as isoborneol, perillyl alcohol, and carveol. The Au/MgO catalyst also performs a selective one-pot oxidative esterification of benzyl alcohol in alkali-free methanol solutions in the absence of any additive to give methyl benzoate in a virtually quantitative yield. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.