The chemical changes produced in the surface of activated carbon as a result of the process of preparation of activated carbon−metal oxide catalysts from SnCl 2 , TiO 2 , and Na 2 WO 4 in water at pH 1.37 for SnCl 2 , 5.84 for TiO 2 , and 9.54 for Na 2 WO 4 are studied. The samples were first prepared by the wet impregnation method in two successive steps of soaking at 80 °C for 5 h and oven-drying at 120 °C for 24 h. Then, they were analyzed by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and measurement of pH of the point of zero charge (pH pzc ). The process yield was 149 wt % with SnCl 2 , 103 wt % with TiO 2 , and 106 wt % with Na 2 WO 4 . The impregnation of the carbon with the catalyst precursors in water entails the oxidation of chromene and pyrone type structures with formation of carboxylic acid groups. pH pzc is 10.50, activated carbon; <1.60, SnCl 2 ; 9.35, TiO 2 ; and 7.90, Na 2 WO 4 . The changes originating in the surface chemistry of AC with influence on the acid−base character are stronger by the order SnCl 2 ≫ Na 2 WO 4 > TiO 2 .