The trimetallic Co-Ce-Ru compound acted as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of various alcohols into the corresponding carbonyls, including less-reactive primary alcohols, in the presence of molecular oxygen under mild reaction conditions. Characterization of the catalyst using the K-edge X-ray absorption technique revealed that a monomeric Ru(IV) species was immobilized on the surface of CeO2/CoO(OH) support. The role of each metal component of the catalyst in the alcohol oxidation is discussed in relation to their local structure. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.