A supported ionic liquid strategy has been applied for the immobilization of a heteropolyacid, molybdovanadophosphoric acid, onto ionic liquid-modified mesoporous silica SBA-15. The immobilized catalyst demonstrated high activity in the aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes and ketones, respectively. No overoxidation of the primary alcohols to carboxylic acids was observed. Secondary alcohols were chemoselectively oxidized to ketones in the presence of primary alcohol, hetero atom, and allyl groups. This catalyst could be recycled five times without obvious loss of activity. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.