The surface acid properties of WOx supported on different oxides (alumina, silica, magnesia, titania, zirconia, and niobia), as well as the decomposition of butan-2-ol on these systems, have been studied by FT-IR spectroscopy. Incorporation of supported tungsten-containing species significantly increases the surface acid properties, and new surface acid sites develop, except for in the magnesia-supported system. The increase in surface acidity is responsible for the high selectivity to butene formation on these systems, except for in the magnesia-supported system, where a larger selectivity to methyl ethyl ketone is observed.