Abstract: The invention consists on the utilization of complexes of vanadium (in the +4 and +5 oxidation states) with bi- or poly-dentate ligands coordinated by nitrogen and oxygen (N,O) or by oxygen and oxygen (O,O) atoms, namely derivatives of aminoalcohols, (hydroxyimino)dicarboxylic acids, hydroxypyranones, trifluoroacetic acid, triflic acid or inorganic acid, as catalysts for the direct single-pot conversion, under mild conditions, of methane in acetic acid, either in the absence or in the presence of carbon monoxide, and in the presence of a peroxodisulfate salt (K2S2O8), in trifluoroacetic acid (CF3COOH), according to the general reaction (I).

Abstract: The procedure concerns placing into contact a lycopene source with a supercritical fluid under conditions that permit the solubilisation of lycopene in this supercritical fluid and to separate the lycopene concentrate by depressurisation of the supercritical fluid loaded with lycopene. When the depressurisation is carried out at pressures below 10 MPa, an oleoresin is obtained and when it is performed at pressures above this an extract is obtained, both of which are rich in lycopene free of organic solvents. The concentrate and the compositions it comprises have antioxidant properties and are useful for elaborating food products, cosmetics and pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products.