The state of vanadium ions in VxOy/SBA-15 (2.7 wt % V) was studied with FTIR spectroscopy using CO and NO as probe molecules. Neither CO (at 85 K) nor NO (at RT) adsorb on the oxidized sample because of the coordinative saturation of V5+ ions and the covalent character of the V5+O bond. After treatment of the sample in 50 kPa H-2 at 673 K, the V5+ ions are reduced to two different types of V3+ sites, as manifested by carbonyl bands at 2189 and 2177 cm(-1). In the presence of O-2 at 85 K, thus formed V3+ ions are partly oxidized to V4+ sites showing carbonylic bands at 2202 and 2190 cm(-1). When the reduced sample is exposed to O-2 at room temperature, the V3+ ions are fully oxidized to V5+. The adsorption of NO on the reduced VxOy/SBA-15 shows that the V3+ and V4+ ions possess two effective coordinative vacancies and as a result can adsorb two NO molecules forming the respective V3+(NO)(2) and V4+(NO)(2) dinitrosyls. The introduction of O-2 to the VxOy/SBA-15-NO system leads to reoxidation of the V3+ and V4+ ions to V5+ and formation of bridged (1639 cm(-1)) and bidentate (1573 cm(-1)) surface nitrates. After coadsorption of CO and NO on the reduced sample the formation of surface mixed carbonyl-nitrosyls (2108 and 1723 cm(-1)) was observed for the first time.