Chromium-doped CuCl2-KCl-CeO2-Cr-x/gamma-Al2O3 with different content (Cr 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 wt.%) were synthesized by co-impregnation method and characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, H-2-TPR and XPS techniques. It is found that the addition of chromium species increases a large amount of capping oxygen species on the catalysts surface, reduces the reduction activation energy of Cu(II) -> Cu(I) process efficiently, and accelerates the transition of redox group Cu(II)/Cu(I). Meanwhile, the addition of chromium species also affects the crystal size of CeO2 on the surface. The best catalyst is CuKCeCr3 with Cr (3 wt.%), which exhibited highest conversion of C2H6 (97.8%) and best selectivity to C2H3Cl (68.2%). (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.