A rugged lead-ruthenate pyrochlore (Py, Pb2Ru2O7) Nafion 417 membrane catalyst (vertical bar NPy vertical bar) has been demonstrated for highly efficient and fully selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Under a triphasic condition of CH2Cl2(org)//vertical bar NPy vertical bar((s))//NaOCl-pH 11((aq)), the vertical bar NPy vertical bar can be recycled and reused effectively on oxidations of alcohols. Using a same piece of vertical bar NPy vertical bar, similar reaction yields were obtained by repeating benzyl alcohol oxidation reaction for 20 times. Electrochemical mechanistic investigation indicated that the perruthenate ion (RuO4-) intermediate was responsible for selective mediation of the alcohol oxidation. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.