Metal-containing composition and use thereof in catalytic reactions, which metal-containing composition is obtainable by contacting a metal hydroxy salt with a solution comprising one or more pH-dependent anions selected from the group consisting of pH-dependent boron-containing anions, vanadium-containing anions, tungsten-containing anions, molybdenum-containing anions, iron-containing anions, niobium-containing anions, tantalum-containing anions, aluminium-containing anions, and gallium-containing anions