TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The soft oxidizing electrophile comprises: the element thallium, lead, bismuth, or iodine, in oxidized form; a thallium(III), lead(IV), bismuth(V), iodine(III) and/or iodine(V) ion; and one or more trifluoroacetate, acetate, sulfate, or alkylsulfonate anion. The counterion of the main group element in oxidized form is: a conjugate anion of an acid of the acidic medium; and trifluoroacetate, acetate or methanesulfonate, respectively. The main group element in oxidized form is in an oxidation state of +n, where for the electrophile reduction product, the element is in an oxidation state of +(n-2) or +(n-1). The oxidative regeneration catalyst comprises copper, silver, iron, or vanadium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process further comprises contacting the separated electrophile reduction product and an oxidizing regeneration reagent to regenerate the soft oxidizing electrophile. In the process, no oxidizing regeneration reagent is present in the acidic medium with the soft oxidizing electrophile. The electrophile reduction product and the oxidizing regeneration reagent are contacted to regenerate the soft oxidizing electrophile in the presence of an oxidative regeneration catalyst. The process is: carried out in a reactor, under conditions for the reaction of the alkane and the soft oxidizing electrophile and for regeneration of the soft oxidizing electrophile by contacting the electrophile reduction product and the oxidizing regeneration species; and carried out in a two reactor circulating liquid phase system. The reaction of the alkane and the soft oxidizing electrophile is carried out in a first reactor. The reaction of the electrophile reduction product and the oxidant species to regenerate the soft oxidizing electrophile is carried out in a second reactor. The process in the first reactor and the process in the second reactor are carried out over time with a phase difference of half of one full cycle. The soft oxidizing electrophile is immobilized on a solid support contained within the reactor. Preferred Components: The acidic medium is an aqueous acidic medium. The soft oxidizing electrophile comprising a main group element in oxidized form is: a salt; and present in less than stoichiometric quantities relative to the alkane, and acts as a catalyst. The acidic medium comprises trifluoroacetic acid, acetic acid, or methanesulfonic acid. The reduced form of the soft oxidizing electrophile and the electrophile reduction product are the identical chemical species. The soft oxidizing electrophile is: of formula (M(n+)Xn) (I); and present in at least stoichiometric quantities relative to the alkane in the acidic medium. (I) undergoes reaction with the alkane in the acidic medium to yield an electrophile reduction product of formula (M+(n-2)Xn-2) or (M+(n-1)Xn-1). The cation M in oxidation state n+ complexed with nX anions and in the acidic medium is sufficiently oxidized to carry out oxidation of the alkane, but less oxidizing than molecular oxygen, and the cation M in oxidation state n+ complexed with nX anions and in the acidic medium has a standard electrochemical potential of -0.9 volts to -1.2 volts. The oxidizing regeneration reagent is: molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, nitric acid, or ozone; and present in at least stoichiometric quantities relative to the alkane, in the acidic medium with the soft oxidizing electrophile. The oxidizing regeneration reagent oxidizes the electrophile reduction product to the soft oxidizing electrophile in the acidic medium in the presence of the alkane. The medium further comprises an aprotic medium including an anhydrous, poorly nucleophilic, polar liquid. The oxidizing regeneration reagent comprises: hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, nitric acid, or a halogen; and electrons provided in an electrochemical oxidation process. The solid support comprises an ion exchange resin. The aprotic medium is liquid sulfur dioxide, trifluoroethanol, tetrachloroethane and/or dichloromethane.M = metal or non-metal main group element cation in an oxidation state of n;X = anionic counterion; andn = number of anionic charges necessary to balance the n+ positive charge of the metal ion.