An one-step selective oxidation of primary alcohol to carboxylic ester took place in liquid-phase over nano-gold particles supported on metal oxides by means of molecular oxygen. Furthermore, it was found that the oxidation of a mixture of ethylene glycol and methanol produced methyl glycolate selectively with a small amount of methyl formate. The substrate-selectivity was observed clearly with Au catalyst, not with a typical Pd or Ru catalyst, which is also capable of catalyzing the oxidative esterification of alcohol. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.