Using a multi-technical approach, we studied the oxidation of anatase TiO2(1 0 1)-supported vanadium (V) clusters at room temperature. We found by ex situ XPS that the highest oxidation state is +4 at sub-monolayer coverage regardless of the O-2 pressure, and STM studies revealed that the initial oxidation proceeds through oxygen-induced disintegration of V clusters into monomeric VO2 species. By contrast, for 2 monolayer V coverage, a partial oxidation to V5+ is achieved. By in situ APXPS measurements, we found that V can be maintained in the V5+ oxidation state irrespective of the coverage; however, in the sub-monolayer range, an O-2 pressure of at least similar to 1 x 10(-5) mbar is needed. Our results suggest an enhanced reducibility of V in direct contact with the TiO2 support compared to V in the 2nd layer, which is in line with the observed optimum V2O5 loading in catalytic applications just slightly below a full monolayer. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.