ZnMe III FeO 4 catalysts with different trivalent metal (Me III = Fe, Al, Cr, Mn, and Co) were prepared by a co-precipitation method, and were applied to the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butene to 1,3-butadiene. Successful formation of ZnMe III FeO 4 catalysts was confirmed by XRD and ICP-AES analyses. Catalytic performance of ZnMe III FeO 4 catalysts in the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butene strongly depended on the identity of trivalent metal (Me III ). Acid properties of ZnMe III FeO 4 catalysts were measured by NH 3 -TPD experiments, with an aim of correlating the catalytic performance with the surface acid property of the catalysts. It was revealed that yield for 1,3-butadiene increased with increasing surface weak-acid density of ZnMe III FeO 4 catalyst. Among the catalysts tested, ZnFeFeO 4 catalyst with the largest surface weak-acid density showed the best catalytic performance in the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butene.