The physico-chemical properties of primary alcohol conversion catalysts SnO2, CeO2 and tin dioxide modified with rhodium, cerium or both, are presented. The synthesis of pure SnO2 was performed with the Okazaky method. Admixturing with rhodium was made by the impregnation method. Addition of cerium was achieved by co-precipitation. The obtained materials based on tin dioxide were monophase materials of tetragonal structure, characteristic for SnO2. As a result of introducing cerium as a dopant of tin oxide(IV), the character of active centers was changed. The obtained monophase materials of compositions Sn0.93Ce0.07O and Sn0.925Ce0.07Rh0.005O2 revealed a large number of strong Lewis acidic centers on the surface. As a result of the addition of CeO2 to basic tin dioxide there was a clear modification of catalytic properties appearing in these materials. The authors try to explain a mechanism of condensation of alcohol, aldehyde or acid to ketone on their surface with the participation of Lewis acidic centers. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.