The adsorption of crotyl alcohol, crotonaldehyde and crotonic acid on MgO, V2O5 and V2O5/MgO mixed oxide was studied under oxidizing conditions by in situ FTIR spectroscopy. The results were further analyzed in order to investigate the surface intermediates of crotonaldehyde oxidative dehydrogenation to maleic anhydride. A stable surface compound, alkoxide, was found during the crotyl alcohol adsorption for all oxides at room temperature (RT). The reaction between the adsorbed crotonaldehyde and the oxygen atom of the catalyst resulted in the formation of carboxylate at higher temperatures (T > 373 K). The formation of two different reaction products (furane and maleic anhydride) was detected from IR spectra following the crotonaldehyde adsorption at various oxygen pressures. It can be deduced that crotonic acid easily dissociates to form the surface carboxylate-crotonate, which is further oxidized to maleate and consequently to maleic anhydride at 573 K.