Patent ID: 8084388

Claim:
A process for the selective production of acetic acid from a gaseous mixture comprising ethane and/or ethylene which process consists essentially of contacting the gaseous mixture with a molecular oxygen-containing gas at elevated temperature in the presence of a catalyst composition which composition consists of in combination with oxygen the elements molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and titanium according to the empirical formula: Mo a W b Ti c V d Nb e Y f (I) wherein Y is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: Cr, Ta, B, Al, Ga, In, Pt, Zn, Cd, Bi, Ce, Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Ag, Fe, Ru, Os, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zr, Hf, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sn, TI, U, Re, La, Au and Pd; a, b, c, d, e and f represent the gram atom ratios of the elements such that: 0<a≦1; 0≦b<1 and a+b=1; 0.05<c≦2; 0<d≦2; 0<e≦1; and 0≦f≦2, wherein the selectivity to ethylene is less than 20 mol % and wherein the selectivity to acetic acid is at least 50 mol %.