A new copper vanadate precursor with the formula NH4[Cu2.5V2O7(OH)(2)]center dot H2O was synthesized and deposited on two different supports, ZSM-5 and amorphous SiO2, by a hydrothermal method or by mechanical mixture. The catalytic behaviour was evaluated in the total oxidation of toluene and the characterization was performed by H-2-temperature-programmed reduction (H-2-TPR), thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the copper vanadate phase comprises two mixed oxides, one of them crystalline, the Ziesite phase, and the other one amorphous. The supported catalysts presented a content of copper vanadate phase of about 9-11 wt.%. The copper vanadate deposited on ZSM-5 by the hydrothermal method evidences the best performance in the oxidation of toluene. This behaviour can be associated with the smaller size and higher dispersion of the particles on the support, which was confirmed by their better reducibility and higher band gap energy value compared with the other series of studied catalysts. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.