Process of preparing anhydrous catalysts promoting the manufacture of vinyl esters in the vapour phase

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING ANHYDROUS CATALYSTS PROMOTING THE MANUFACTURE OF VINYL ESTERS FROM ACETYLENE AND CARBOYLIC ACIDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACETIC ACID, PROPIONIC ACID, BUTYRIC ACID, HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID AND BENZOIC ACID IN THE VAPOUR PHASE, THE STEP WHICH COMPRISES HEATING A MIXTURE OF A POWERED AMALGAM OF A METAL OF THE SECOND TRANSITION PERIOD SELECTING FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZINC AND CADMIUN AND MIXTURES THEREOF, WITH A SURFACE-ACTIVE FINELY DISPERSED CARRIER IN THE PRESENCE OF THE VAPOUR OF ONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS AT TEMPERATURES OF ABOUT 90* C. TO ABOUT 180*C., THE AMOUNR OF SAID METAL OF A SECOND TRANSITION PERIOD RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 3 AND ABOUT 35 PERCENT CLCULATED ON THE WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST, AND THE AMOUNT OF MERCURY IN SAID AMALGAM RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 1 AND ABOUT 20 PERCENT CALCULATED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID METAL OF THE SECOND TRANSITION PERIOD.