The invention concerns an alkane metathesis catalyst, its production and use. The catalyst comprises a Group V, VI or VII metal alkyl with the metal in its highest oxidation state, preferably Ta or W, and the alkyl of C1-C4, preferably together with alkylidene and/or alkylidyne ligands, in particular -Me, CH2 and CH, on a metal oxide support, preferably silica partially dehydroxylated at 200 or 700 C. Substrates include cycloalkanes, preferably cyclooctane.

The subject invention provides a series of vanadium alkylidyne complexes with the metal center V being in high oxidation state, as well as novel methods for synthesizing these vanadium alkylidyne complexes using a vanadium oxo trialkoxyl complex as a starting material. The vanadium alkylidyne complexes of the subject invention can be used as catalysts for metathesis reactions.