The molecular structures and reactivity of tantalum oxide-supported metal oxide (V2O5, Nb2O5, CrO3, MoO3, WO3, and Re2O7) catalysts were determined by Raman spectroscopy and the methanol oxidation chemical probe reaction, respectively. The metal oxides form a twodimensional surface metal oxide overlayer on the tantalum oxide support. Under ambient conditions, the hydrated surface metal oxide sp...