ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 55, Number 1
JKCSEZ 55(1)
February 20, 2011 

The effect of Group I alkali acetate promoters on vinyl acetate (VA) synthesis was evaluated. Catalyst product selectivity and ethylene conversion are compared to the unpromoted catalyst in the fixed-bed reactor with oxidation reaction of ethylene and acetic acid in gaseous phase over Pd-Au/SiO₂ catalyst. It was found that: a) the promoters were stabilized on the catalyst surface, b) common effect for the alkali promoted Pd-Au catalysts increaseed in product selectivity and ethylene conversion compared to unpromoted catalyst (these effects increase from top to the bottom of Group I). These promoting effect is due to the common-ion effect of acetate, present in the reaction, resulting in an increase in the activity of the catalyst. In addition a complementary theory for the effect of Au in the structure of the catalyst is proposed the imposition of distribution of palladium particles through decreasing the particle’s diameter.