The liquid-phase acylation of veratrole with acetic anhydride and alkylation of toluene with 1-dodecene were carried out over WOx/ZrO2 solid acid catalysts. The catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation method using zirconium oxyhydroxide and ammonium metatungstate. Catalysts with different WO3 loading (5-30 wt.%) were prepared and calcined at 800 degrees C and catalyst with 15% WO3 was calcined from 650 to 850 degrees C. All the catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, XRD and NH3-TPD. The catalyst with 15% WO3 calcined at 800 degrees C (15 WZ-800) was found to be the most active in acylation and alkylation reactions. The effect of temperature, molar ratio and catalyst weight on the conversions of acetic anhydride and dodecene were studied in detail. The catalyst 15 WZ-800 gave 67% acetic anhydride conversion in veratrole acylation under the reaction conditions of 70 degrees C, veratrole/acetic anhydride molar ratio 2, time 4 h and 99% dodecene conversion with > 99% monododecyl toluene selectivity at 100 degrees C, toluene/1-dodecene molar ratio 10 and time 1 h. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.