Provided is a process for oxidizing an alkene. The process comprises contacting an alkene, and either an oxidizing electrophile comprising a main group element in oxidized form or an oxidant and a reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile, in a liquid medium comprising an oxygen acid and optionally one or more additives selected from a non-oxidizable liquid, a salt additive, a Lewis acid, and water, to provide an oxygenate and a reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile. The process optionally further comprises separating the oxygenate and the reduced form of the oxidizing electrophile. The oxygenate can be further hydrolyzed to form an alcohol, diol, or polyol.