Abstract: 3-Methylindole was synthesized by vapor-phase method from aniline and biomass-derived glycerol over Fe promoted Cu/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),H₂ temperature-programmed-reduction (H₂-TPR),X ray diffraction (XRD),transmission electron microscopy (TEM),inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectroscopy,temperature-programmeddesorption of ammonia (NH₃-TPD) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis techniques. The results indicated that the addition of Fe to Cu/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ could not only increase the activity and selectivity clearly,but also improve the stability of the catalyst remarkably. Over Cu-Fe/SiO₂-Al₂O₃,the yield of 3-methylindole reached 48% after three hours reaction and the catalyst could be reused by regeneration without obvious loss of the yield even after 43 h reaction. The characterizations revealed that the addition of Fe to Cu/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ could reinforce the interaction between copper and the support,which greatly improved the dispersion of Cu particles on the surface of the support and efficiently decreased the loss of copper component during the reaction. Furthermore,Fe promoter could decrease the amount of middle-strong acid sites remarkably and increase the amount of the weak acid sites of the catalyst,which was propitious to the high selectivity of 3-methylindole and inhibited the formation of the coke.