A solid state ion exchange method is described that introduces vanadium into zeolite MCM-41. Two types of vanadium species (VO2+ Complex in a silanol nest and vanadium ions in cationic position) are identified when the amount of V2O5 is equivalent to sample acidity. The vanadium MCM-41 samples are characterized by the methods of FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopies and temperature programmed reduction/oxidation cycles (TPR/TPO). The effect of the grafted vanadium ions and the efficiency of vanadium centres have been investigated in liquid phase benzene hydroxylation and complete ethylacetate oxidation. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.