Oxidation of alkane to alkene

A process for converting an alkane to an alkene, comprising

• (a) contacting the alkane and
• (i) an oxidizing electrophile comprising a main group element selected from gallium, germanium, arsenic, tin, thallium, lead, antimony, bismuth, and iodine, each in oxidized form or
• (ii) an oxidant and a reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile,
• in a liquid medium comprising an oxygen acid and optionally one or more additives selected from a non-oxidizable liquid, a salt additive, a Lewis acid, and water, to provide an oxidized intermediate and a reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile;
• (b) optionally separating the oxidized intermediate and the reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile;
• and
• (c) performing an elimination reaction on the oxidized intermediate to provide the alkene and the oxygen acid.