LaMnO3　was　prepared　by　citrate　sol-gel,　coprecipitation,　hard　template,　and　hydrothermal　methods,　respectively,　and　its　catalytic　performance　for　the　combustion　of　vinyl　chloride　was　investigated.　N-2　adsorption-desorption,　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　Raman　spectroscopy　(Raman),　Oz　temperature　programmed　desorption　(O-2-TPD),　H-2　temperature　programmed　surface　reaction　(H-2-TPR)　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS)　were　used　to　characterize　the　physicochemical　properties　of　the　LaMnO3　samples.　The　preparation　methods　had　obvious　effects　on　the　distribution　of　oxygen　and　manganese　species　on　the　catalyst　surface.　The　reaction　followed　the　suprafacial　mechanism;　the　activity　corresponded　with　the　high　amount　of　Mn4+　and　adsorbed　oxygen　species.　LaMnO3　prepared　by　the　citrate　sol-gel　method　had　the　best　performance　for　vinyl　chloride　combustion　with　T90　of　182　degrees　C.　The　optimal　activity　was　attributed　to　the　improved　redox　capability　of　Mn4+/Mn3+.　More　available　adsorbed　oxygen　and　Mn4+　species　on　the　surface　were　mainly　responsible　for　the　remarkable　enhancement　of　the　catalytic　activity.　(C)　2017,　Dalian　Institute　of　Chemical　Physics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.