Series of precursors was prepared by precipitation of cobalt nitrate in aqueous solutions using various precipitation agents (NH3 center dot H2O, NaOH, Na2CO3) and reactions conditions (OH/Co molar ratio, aging time). Powder XRD showed different phase composition of the obtained precursors, in which beta-Co(OH)(2), Co-II-Co-III layered double hydroxide, and basic cobalt carbonate were identified. Only Co3O4 spinel-like oxide was found in products after heating at 500 degrees C in air but different N2O conversions were observed over the examined oxide catalysts. Especially the catalysts obtained from beta-Co(OH)(2) precursors showed high catalytic activity in N2O decomposition. The correlation between methods of preparation, phase composition of precursors, catalytic properties of the related oxide catalysts, and the role of the cobalt ions as catalytic active sites is discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.