Processes for oxidation of primary alcohols or aldehydes into the corresponding carboxylic acids are provided herein, including processes for the aerobic catalytic oxidation of a hydroxyl moiety pendant to a cyclic carbohydrate to a carboxylic acid in a manner that preserves the cyclic carbohydrate structure. The oxidation processes may be performed in the absence of a transition metal catalyst, halogenated solvent and a hypochlorite reagent. The processes and compositions with and without a bromide source are provided. A liquid reaction media comprising a carboxylic acid and a catalyst composition may be combined with the reactant alcohol substrate to form a reaction media which can be pressurized at constant volume with an oxygen-containing gas under conditions of temperature and constant pressure within a reaction vessel to selectively oxidize the reactant substrate to form a carboxylic acid product. Preferably, the reactant alcohol substrate is a cyclic carbohydrate having a pendant primary or secondary alcohol that is converted to a carboxylic acid by the selective oxidation process, such as the conversion of an alkyl-glucopyranoside to a corresponding alkyl-glucuronic acid.