Me-containing V2O5 materials (Me=Ag, Cu, Ca and Na) were prepared hydrothermally (from aqueous gels containing V2O5/H2O2/MeClx, mixtures, with Me/V ratios of 0.17). The samples were finally heattreated in air or in N-2 atmosphere. The heat-treated samples have been characterized by several physicochemical techniques and tested in the partial oxidation of hydrogen sulfide. According to XRD, electron paramagnetic resonance and V-51 NMR results, Ag0.35V2O5 and Na0.33V2O5 (or NaV6O15) bronzes with a minority presence of V2O5 were mainly obtained in the case of Ag- and Na- containing materials in samples both heat-treated in air or in N-2 atmosphere. In the case of Cu- and Ca-containing samples, V2O5 was mainly observed in samples calcined in air. However, (CV2O5)-V-0.26 and (CaV2O5)-V-0.17 bronzes, with the minority presence of V2O5, have been observed in Cu- and Ca-containing samples heat-treated in N-2. On the other hand, the catalytic behavior strongly depends on the metal promoter. Thus catalysts presenting vanadium oxide bronzes, i.e. samples presenting Ag-0.35 V2O5, NaV6O15, Cu0.26V2O5 or Ca0.17V2O5 shows a catalytic activity during the partial oxidation of H2S to sulfur higher than that observed over pure V2O5 or over promoted catalysts presenting mainly V2O5 (i.e. Cu- or Ca-containing samples calcined in air). Moreover, some differences in the selectivity to sulfur were observed. A higher formation of SO2 at high reaction temperature has been favored over Ag0.35V2O5-containing catalyst. This different behavior between samples could be explained by the presence of metallic Ag on the surface of Ag-0.35 V2O5, which was detected by XRD. Also, higher formation of SO2 is favored in the case of catalyst heat- treated in N-2, in which the presence of VO2, as minority, could have a role in combustion of sulfur. Accordingly, this work should be considered as a first approach to relate catalytic activity of the Me-containing vanadium oxide bronze (containing Ag, Cu, Ca and Na) for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.