Patent ID: 8501652

Claim:
A catalyst for hydrogenating acetic acid to ethanol, the catalyst comprising a first metal, a second metal, a silicaceous support, and from 0.2 wt. % to 25 wt. % at least one support modifier selected from the group consisting of oxides of any of calcium and zinc, and metasilicates of any of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, scandium, yttrium, and zinc, and mixtures thereof, wherein the total content of the first and second metals is in an amount from 0.1 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst and the first metal being selected from the group consisting of copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, titanium, zinc, chromium, rhenium, molybdenum, and tungsten, and the second metal being selected from the group consisting of copper, molybdenum, tin, chromium, iron, cobalt, vanadium, tungsten, palladium, platinum, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, rhenium, and nickel, wherein the second metal is different than the first metal; and wherein the silicaceous support is selected from the group consisting of silica, silica/alumina, pyrogenic silica, high purity silica and mixtures thereof.