VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemical compounds in organic chemistry whose boiling point lies in the temperature range of 60 °C to 250 °C and which are easily released into the air. Due to their high vapor pressure, they evaporate even at room temperature and easily enter the air. VOCs can be divided into the following subcategories: highly 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 exhibit higher oxidizability, while others require stricter reaction conditions, such as increased temperatures or a higher loading with precious metals. In some cases, a cost-effective copper-manganese catalyst can be used for the total oxidation of these compounds.