The new catalysts of L-VPO with different dopants were prepared by microwave method and conventional heating method. These catalysts showed a definite activity for partial oxidation propane to acrylic acid. The catalyst with Cc and La prepared by microwave method, especially, showed the best activity with the yield and selectivity of acrylic acid being 43.0% and 85.4%. The catalysts were examined with BET, XRD, IR and LRS techniques. The catalysts prepared by microwave method showed larger specific surface area than the catalysts prepared by usual heating method. The Ce-doped VPO catalyst prepared by microwave method possessed CeP5O14 phase, which might be the important factor to improve the performance of the VPO catalysts. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.