The　selective　oxidation　of　alcohols　to　the　corresponding　aldehydes　and　ketones　is　of　great　importance　in　the　academic　and　industrial　fields.　A　series　of　excellent　nanostructured　catalysts　comprising　cobalt　nanoparticles　supported　on　nitrogen-doped　carbon　(Co-N-C)　were　thus　prepared　by　pyrolysis　of　a　deep　eutectic　solvent　Co(NO　3　)　2　·6H　2　O/[Bmim]Br　supported　on　commercial　carbon.　The　catalytic　activity　of　the　Co-N-C　materials　was　studied　in　the　selective　aerobic　oxidation　of　alcohols　with　molecular　oxygen　under　base-free　conditions.　The　results　indicated　that　the　optimized　Co-N-C/700　catalyst　exhibited　excellent　catalytic　performance　in　the　selective　oxidation　of　both　aryl　and　alkyl　alcohols,　giving　their　corresponding　aldehydes　and　ketones　in　good　to　excellent　yields.　Furthermore,　the　combination　of　the　catalytic　results　of　the　control　group　and　the　different　characterization　methods　showed　that　such　high　catalytic　activity　is　due　to　the　synergistic　interaction　between　the　nitrogen-doped　carbon　support　and　Co-N　species　in　Co-N-C/700.　In　addition,　the　magnetically　recoverable　Co-N-C　catalyst　could　be　easily　separated　from　the　reaction　system　by　using　an　external　magnetic　field　and　reused　at　least　five　times　without　an　obvious　decrease　in　the　catalytic　efficiency.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　and　the　Centre　National　de　la　Recherche　Scientifique.