1-Propanol and 2-propanol were selectively oxidised over Co-Mg-O catalysts supported on TiO2 and Al2O3. Propanal and propene were the primary products in 1-propanol and 2-propanol oxidation, respectively At high reaction temperatures, propene formed could be further oxidised to propanal. The formation of propanal from propene was confirmed by the direct oxidation of propene. In addition, the sequence of cobalt and magnesium loading had no effect on the structure or catalytic performance of the catalysts investigated.