Keywords: Oxidation / Tetrahydrofuran / Catalysis / Asymmetric synthesis / Vanadium Vanadium(V) complexes 4 have been prepared from tridentate Schiff-base ligands 3 and VO(OEt) 3 . All vanadium(V) compounds were characterized (IR, UV/Vis, and 51 V NMR spectroscopy, and in selected examples by X-ray diffraction analysis) and were applied as oxidation catalysts for the stereoselective synthesis of functionalized tetrahydrofurans 2 starting from substituted bis(homoallylic) alcohols 1 (mono-or trisubstituted C−C double bonds). Oxidation of secondary or tertiary 1-alkyl-, 1-vinyl-, or 1-phenyl-substituted 5,5-dimethyl-4-penten-1-ols under optimized conditions [TBHP as primary oxidant and 1,2-(amino)indanol-derived vanadium(V) reagent 4g as catalyst] provided 2,5-cis-configured tetrahydrofurans in synthetically useful yields and diastereoselectivities (22−96% de). On the other hand, trans-disubstituted oxolanes (62%−96 de) were obtained from oxidations of 2-or 3-alkyl-and 2-or 3-phenyl-substituted 5,5-dimethyl-4-penten-1-ols bis(homoallylic) alcohols. Treatment of 4-penten-1-ols (i.e. substrates with monosubstituted olefinic π-bonds) with TBHP and catalytic amounts of vanadium(V) complex 4g furnished trans-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans as major products (20−96% de), no matter whether an alkyl or a phenyl substituent was located in position 1, 2, or 3 of the alkenol chain. The mechanism of this reaction has been investigated in detail. Based on re-