CATALYST AND PROCESS FOR THE CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF ETHANE TO ACETIC ACID

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A PROCESS FOR THE SELECTIVE PREPARATION OF ACETIC ACID FROM A GASEOUS FEEDSTOCK OF ETHANE, ETHYLENE OR MIXTURES THEREOF, AND OXYGEN, AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE ON A CATALYST WHICH COMPRISES THE ELEMENTS W, X, Y AND Z IN THE GRAM -ATOM RATIOS A: B: C: D IN COMBINATION WITH OXYGENWAXBYCZD (I)IN WHICH X IS ONE OR MORE ELEMENTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF PD, PT, AG, AND/OR AU,Y IS ONE OR MORE ELEMENTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF V, NB, CR, MN, FE, SN, SB, CU, ZN, U, NI AND/OR BI, Z IS ONE OR MORE ELEMENTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF LI, NA, K, RB, CS, BE, MG, CA, SR, BA, SC, Y, LA, TI, ZR, HF, RU, OS,, CO, RH, IR, B, AL, GA, IN, TI, SI, GE, PB, P, AS, AND/OR TE, A IS 1, B IS A NUMBER GREATER THAN 0, C IS A NUMBER GREATER THAN 0, AND D IS A NUMBER FROM 0 TO 2, AND TO THE CATALYST ITSELF.