A series of K-Cu/ZrO2 catalysts with different La loadings for isobutanol synthesis from CO hydrogenation were prepared by a co-precipitation method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, reactive N2O adsorption, XPS, H-2-TPR, in situ IR and Raman techniques, and then tested for isobutanol synthesis from CO hydrogenation at the conditions of 360 degrees C, 10.0 MPa, GHSV = 3000 h(-1) and H-2/CO = 2.5. These characterization results showed that incorporation of La into the K/Cu-Zr catalyst resulted in increase of BET surface area and dispersion of catalyst particles. Especially, medium La addition facilitated the synergistic effect between Cu-Zr interactions, improved the reducibility of catalyst and increased the amounts of dispersed copper. An enrichment of Cl intermediates on catalyst surface related to high dispersed CuO is better for chain growth. In the isobutanol synthesis reaction, the conversion of CO and selectivity of isobutanol increased first and then decreased as the increase of La concentration. Among these La-promoted K/Cu-Zr catalysts, the 3% La/CuiZr catalyst exhibited the highest alcohol selectivity of 32.8 wt%, which can be radically attributed to the highest Cu surface area. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.