The invention relates to a method for the oxidation of a primary or secondary alcohol, preferably to form an aldehyde or ketone, comprising the following steps: a) providing a catalyst composition comprising at least one compound containing a nitroxyl radical, at least one NO source, at least one carbon or mineral acid or an anhydride of a carbon or mineral acid; b) producing a reaction mixture by adding at least one primary or secondary alcohol and a gas comprising oxygen and optionally one or more than one solvent to the catalyst composition from step a) or step e); c) incubating the reaction mixture from step b) at a temperature of between 0 and 100° C. or at the boiling point of the solvent; d) simultaneously with or subsequent to step c): crystallizing the reaction product; and e) recovering the catalyst composition by removing the crystallized reaction product from the reaction mixture obtained in step d).