SO 2 chemisorption on oxygenated Pt(111) enormously enhances the dissociative chemisorption and subsequent combustion of propane. This activation of the metal surface is induced by an adsorbed sulfoxy species which is formed > 220 K. In the absence of adsorbed SO 2 the sticking probability of propane is immeasurably small. However in the presence of SO 2 , the precursor-mediated initial sticking probability rises from ~0.02 at 300 K to ~ 0.15 at 160 K. XPS and HREELS measurements identify the active species as SO4 2-, and also demonstrate the consumption of SO 4 during the oxidation reaction. Coincident CO 2 and SO 2 formation suggest decomposition of a complex reaction intermediate: this is supported by isotope experiments involving CO adsorption onto SO 2 / 18 O2 precovered Pt(111). Propane oxidation over sulphated AlO X films on Pt (111) is also reported, with increased activity for submonolayer oxidised Al films being observed compared to clean Pt(111).The activation of short chain alkanes is often the rate limiting step in catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons [1]. In particular, the slow oxidation of alkanes, namely propane and methane, is a technological problem faced by the automotive exhaust catalyst industry [2]. Reactor studies of Pt/Al203 and Pt-Rh/Al203/Ce02 catalysts have shown that the inclusion of SO2 in the gas feed significantly promotes the oxidation of propane [3,4], whilst inhibiting reactions of CO, NO and propene. It has also been observed that in the presence of SO2, the activity of Pt/Al203 catalysts for propane oxidation becomes independent of Pt loading. In the absence of SO2, the activity usually increases with Pt loading, a result which suggests the formation of different active sites on inclusion of SO2 in the gas feed. Infra-red analysis of these catalysts following exposure to O2 and SO2, indicates the presence of S04^" on the support, which is thought to be involved in the activation process. Enhanced C-H bond dissociation is often attributed to catalyst acidity [5]; for example homogeneous Pt(III) solutions display increased oxidative capacity in the presence of sulphuric acid.