Pathway to defective highly active and stable MoVSbOx catalysts for ethane oxidative dehydrogenation through a dislodging process involving controlled combustion of amino-organic compounds

•A novel synthesis path is developed to generate highly active and stable MoVSbOx catalysts.•Controlled combustion of amino-organic species induces surface defects on M1 particles.•The surface defects of M1 particles allows additional active sites to be accessible.•The synthesis path to similar catalyst formulations and reactions is readily applicable.