Sol-gel derived titania based mixed oxides TiO 2 -SiO 2 and TiO 2 -ZrO 2 were used as supports for preparing a series of catalysts with vanadia contents varying between 1-25 wt.%. The supports and the catalysts were characterized by employing 51 V and 1 H solid-state MAS NMR, diffuse reflectance FT-IR, and BET surface area measurements. The partial oxidation activities of the catalysts were tested using ethanol oxidation as the model reaction. 51 V solid-state NMR studies of the calcined catalysts showed the peaks corresponding to the presence of polymeric tetrahedral vanadia species at low vanadia loadings and 51 V chemical shifts corresponding to amorphous V 2 O 5 like phases were observed in the catalysts with high V 2 O 5 contents. After outgassing the catalysts, a broadening of the peaks was observed indicating a change in the coordination environment around vanadium. DRIFTS studies of the catalysts indicated the vibrations corresponding to V=O bonds of V 2 O 5 agglomerates, in the catalysts with high vanadia loadings. Acetaldehyde was obtained as the major product with traces of ethylene, ether, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and CO x during the ethanol partial oxidation activity studies of mixed oxide supported vanadia catalysts.