Abstract: A method for the oxidative conversion of feed organic compounds, such as methane and ethane, to product organic compounds, such as ethylene, in the presence of a free oxygen containing gas and a contact material comprising: (1) Group IA and/or Group IIA metals/O.sub.2 /halogen; (2) Group IA metals/La Series metals/O.sub.2 /halogen and, optionally, Group IIA metals; (3) Group IA metals/Zn/O.sub.2 /halogen and, optionally, Group IIA metals; (4) Group IA metals/Ti or Zr/O.sub.2 /halogen and, optionally, Group IIA metals; (5) Group IA and/or IIA metals/phosphate/halogen or (6) Co/Zr, Zn, Nb, In, Pb and/or Bi/P/O.sub.2 halogen, and, optionally, Group IA metals and/or S, in which a contact material containing no halogen or an ineffective amount are activated and/or regenerated by contacting them with a halogen and, when the contact material is contact material (6), with a reducing agent or both a reducing agent and a halogen.