Abstract: A catalyst useful in the manufacture of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile by the catalytic reaction in the vapor phase of a paraffin selected from propane and isobutane with molecular oxygen and ammonia by catalytic contact of the reactants in a reaction zone with a catalyst, the feed composition having a mole ratio of the paraffin to ammonia in the range of about 1.0 to 10 and a mole ratio of paraffin to oxygen in the range of about 1.0 to 10, wherein said catalyst has the elements in the proportions indicated by the empirical formula:MO.sub.a V.sub.b Sb.sub.c Ga.sub.d X.sub.e O.sub.xwhereX is one or more of As, Te, Se, Nb, Ta, W, Ti, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pd, Pt, B, In, Ce, Re, Ir, Ge, Sn, Bi, Y, Pr, an alkali metal, and an alkaline earth metal, preferably Nb, Ce, Fe, Ge, Sn, In, As, Se, and B, especially preferred being Nb,a equals 1,b equals 0.0 to 0.99, preferably 0.1 to 0.5,c equals 0.01 to 0.9, preferably 0.05 to 0.5,d equals 0.01 to 0.5, preferably 0.01 to 0.4,e equals 0.0 to 1.