Several alumina supported chromium oxide catalysts were prepared by varying the chromium oxide loading, precursors and surface areas of the support. The prepared catalysts were characterized using BET, XRD, XPS and UV-VIS spectroscopic techniques. The monolayer limit was observed to be similar to9 mumol Cr/m(2). Below monolayer limits, surface chromium oxide species were present irrespective of precursors and surface area of the support. The activity of the prepared samples was tested for ODH of propane. It was observed that the supported chromium oxide samples were active for the ODH reaction and that propene was the major product. The activity and selectivity increased with loading up to monolayer limits and decreased for higher loadings. Bulk Cr2O3 was also studied for the ODH reaction and found to behave differently than the Cr2O3/Al2O3 catalysts. The efficiency of each surface chromium oxide species on alumina to carry out the ODH of propane, the turn over frequency (TOF), was relatively independent of chromium oxide loading for the monolayer catalysts. However, it appears that a constant fraction of the surface chromium oxide species is active for the ODH of propane. This constant fraction of the surface chromium oxide phase is given by the polymeric chromium oxide species. The inactive fraction is given by the monomeric chromium oxide species that is not reducible.