Highly efficient self-esterification of aliphatic alcohols using supported gold nanoparticles under mild conditions

•One-step self-esterification of primary alcohols using molecular oxygen as a green oxidant and supported gold nanoparticles as catalyst.•Long aliphatic esters were prepared under mild conditions.•A variety of aliphatic esters were obtained in high yields.•A tentative mechanism for the reaction was proposed.•Gold nanoparticles catalyst can be efficiently recycled and reused.