Surface properties of supported MoV heteropoly compounds and their activities in hydrodesulfurization of thiophene and oxidation of ethanol were studied. Vanadium incorporated into the phosphomolybdic acid anion increased extent of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde, whereas the catalyst with (VO)(2+) increased complete ethanol oxidation to CO2. The catalysts with (VO)(2+) or one V atom in the anion showed an increase in HDS activity. Vanadium in anion of phosphomolybdic acid also increased hydrogenation ability. Acidic sites of medium strength were proved to be the most suitable for ethanol oxidation, Such explicit dependence of thiophene hydrodesulfurization on any type of acidic sites was not confirmed. Activity order of supported MoV heteropoly compounds in HDS of thiophene correlated well with the amount of hydrogen consumed during TPR.