Low‐Temperature Activation of Dioxygen and Hydrocarbon Oxidation Catalyzed by a Phosphovanadomolybdate: Evidence for a Mars–van Krevelen Type Mechanism in a Homogeneous Liquid Phase

Vanadium-containing polyoxometalates, such as PV2Mo10O40, are shown to act as oxygen-donating compounds and catalyze the oxygenation of hydrocarbons in a liquid homogeneous phase by a Mars–van Krevelen type mechanism [Eqs. (1) and (2)].