VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemical compounds in organic chemistry that have a boiling point in the temperature range of 60 °C to 250 °C and are easily released into the air. Due to their high vapor pressure, they evaporate at room temperature and are easily released into the air. VOCs can be divided into the following subcategories: volatile organic compounds (VVOCs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and particle-bound organic compounds (POCs).

They are found in numerous products in the chemical industry as well as in many other industrial sectors, such as paints, varnishes, cleaning agents, degreasers, building materials or even brake cleaners. The most common VOCs and VOC groups include: alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkenes, aromatic compounds, terpenes, naphthalene, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, glycol ethers and halogenated compounds.

Some VOCs have a higher oxidizability, while others require more stringent reaction conditions, such as elevated temperatures or higher loading of precious metals. In some cases, a low-cost copper-manganese catalyst can be used for the total oxidation of these compounds.