PROCESS FOR PREPARING SILVER CATALYSTS

A supported silver catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide with molecular oxygen is made by impregnating a support with a hydrocarbon solution of a silver salt of a neo-acid having 7 or more carbon atoms, the solution being substantially free of water and said neo-acid. Preferably, the hydrocarbon solvent is toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene, cyclohexane, or cumene. The impregnated support is dried and the silver is activated under conditions chosen to provide the optimum selectivity to ethylene oxide. Thereafter, the activated silver catalyst may be impregnated with an alkali metal solution sufficient to increase selectivity of the silver catalyst above its alkali-free state. The amount of alkali metal on the finished catalyst is the optimum for the particular support selected and preferably will be about 1-6 x 10-3 gew/kg of catalyst. The catalyst may also include additional promoters, such as the alkaline earth metals, preferably barium.