The structure and catalytic properties of BiCeVMoO catalysts with different composition for selective oxidation of propane have been investigated. It has been shown that bismuth may be substituted by a low amount of cerium while the Scheelite structure of BiVMoO remains unchanging. With the increasing of Cc (Ce/(Ce + Bi) > 0.15), new phases of CeVO4 and Ce-2(MoO4)(3) formed. The cerium which probably p entered into the lattice of BiVMoO promotes the forming of acrolein, and the selectivity to acrolein increased to a maximum at Ce/(Ce + Bi) atomic ratio = 0.15(45 mol% at similar to30 mol% propane conversion). Further increasing Cc content results in further oxidation of propylene and acrolein to CO2 due to the strong oxidative ability of catalysts. The proper amount of introduced cerium, which probably occupied the lattice sites of Bi3+ enhanced the oxidative ability of catalysts moderately by increasing the activity and the amount of surface active oxygen species. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.