Catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone has been carried out on phase gas in a continuous fixed bed reactor under atmospheric pressure. Copper chromite and copper zinc oxide catalysts have been checked. Effect of temperature (in the range 250-290 degrees C) and spatial time in reactor have been studied. The catalytic activity has been evaluated in terms of cyclohexanone yields and impurities from secondary reactions of dehydration and dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol have also been identified and quantified by GC/MS. Catalysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed desorption of ammonia and BET surface area measurement. High activity was confirmed by copper-based catalysts under the operating conditions, concerning the size and dispersion of the copper specie. It was also found that catalysts with alumina and chromium exhibit higher dehydration capacity, being cyclohexene the main impurity obtained. For a given cyclohexanone yield the impurities from dehydrogenation reactions showed similar trends for the three catalysts tested. Phenol was the main impurity obtained by dehydrogenation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.