Catalytic oxidation of toluene in low concentration (800 ppm) in air was carried out over catalysts prepared from a new copper vanadate phase calcined at different temperatures. The catalysts were composed of different crystalline phases, namely ziesite, fingerite, blossite and other copper vanadium oxides. The best catalytic performance was obtained with the material calcined at 320 degrees C (composed of ziesite phase and an amorphous copper vanadium oxide) that showed a light off temperature of 265 degrees C. H-2-TPR measurements indicated that the most active catalysts (calcined at 320 and 400 degrees C) are also the most easily reducible. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.