A bi-functional cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbon catalyst was fabricated by calcinating the chelate compound containing citric acid, melamine and CoCl2 center dot 6H(2)O in N-2, with the mixed salts of LiCl and KCl as the template. Co and N species are highly dispersed in the target catalyst, which has a high surface area of 1011 m(2) g(-1). Such structure enables it to efficiently catalyze the direct aerobic oxidative esterification of benzyl alcohol with methanol to the ester of methyl benzoate; meanwhile, it exhibits superior potential ability for the application of oxygen reduction reaction, which is a vital process happening on the cathode of fuel cells and metal-air batteries.