A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A CATALYST, A CATALYST THEREFROM AND A PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS OR ESTERS

A process for producing a catalyst including a) providing an uncalcined metal modified porous silica support wherein the modifier metal is selected from one or more of boron, magnesium, aluminium, zirconium, hafnium and titanium, wherein the modifier metal is present in mono- or dinuclear modifier metal moieties; b) optionally removing any solvent or liquid carrier from the modified silica support; c) optionally drying the modified silica support; d) treating the uncalcined metal modified silica support with a catalytic metal to effect adsorption of the catalytic metal onto the metal modified silica support; and e) calcining the impregnated silica support of step d). The invention extends to an uncalcined catalyst intermediate and a method of producing a catalyst by providing a porous silica support having isolated silanol groups.