A　series　of　Au/Fe2O3　catalysts　for　the　water　gas　shift　(WGS)　reaction　were　prepared　by　modified　deposition-precipitation　method.　The　sample　calcined　at　300　°C　showed　higher　catalytic　activity　and　better　stability　than　other　samples.　Using　N2　physisorption,　in　situ　XRD,　H2-TPR,　and　XPS　techniques,　the　influence　of　calcination　temperature　on　properties　of　Au/Fe2O3　catalyst　was　explored,　and　the　cause　of　deactivation　was　analyzed　as　well.　The　results　showed　that　the　catalytic　behaviors　were　related　to　the　interaction　between　Au　and　Fe2O3,　and　the　reductive　property　of　support,　both　of　which　were　significantly　affected　by　calcination　temperature.　Furthermore,　according　to　the　results　of　XPS,　although　stable　carbonate　and　carbonyl　surface　species　were　found　on　the　spent　catalysts,　the　semiquantitative　analysis　of　these　species　indicated　that　they　were　not　the　main　cause　of　the　deactivation.　In　fact,　the　deactivation　of　Au/Fe2O3　was　sensitive　to　the　structure　change　of　support.　During　the　water　gas　shift　reaction,　Fe3O4　particle　would　aggregate　and　crystallize　leading　to　increase　in　the　crystallinity　of　support　and　a　significant　reduction　in　the　surface　area　of　the　catalysts,　which　resulted　in　the　deactivation　of　Au/Fe2O3.　©　2008　Chinese　Chemical　Society　and　College　of　Chemistry　and　Molecular　Engineering,　Peking　University.