The invention is directed to a process of the oxidation of alcohols with the aid of a nitroxyl radical of the general formula (I)
wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 are independent of each other (C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )-alkoxy, (C 6 -C 18 )-aryl, (C 7 -C 19 )-aralkyl, (C 6 -C 18 )-aryl-(C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl, (C 3 -C 18 )-heteroaryl, (C 4 -C 19 )-heteroaralkyl, (C 3 -C 18 )-heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl-(C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl-(C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl,
or R 5 and R 6 are bonded together via a (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl chain, which can be substituted by one or more R 1 , N[(C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl] 2 , (C 1 -C 8 )-amido, (C 1 -C 8 )-alkyloxy carboxyl, (C 6 -C 18 )-aryloxy carboxyl, nitrile, Hal, =O, part of a polymer, and a co-oxidant. Primary alcohols are oxidised preferably compared to secondary ones.