Patent ID: 7902411

Claim:
A process for preparing 1,2-dichloroethane, comprising oxychlorinating ethylene in the presence of a catalyst composition, wherein ethylene, hydrogen chloride and molecular oxygen in the gas phase are brought into contact with the catalyst composition at from 210 to 260° C., said catalyst composition comprising a mixture of metal salts on a support, where said metal salts are applied to the support in such ratios that the catalyst composition comprises a) from 3 to 12% by weight of copper as copper salt, b) from 0 to 3% by weight of an alkaline earth metal as alkaline earth metal salt, c) from 0 to 3% by weight of an alkaline metal as alkaline metal salt, d) from 0.001 to 0.1% by weight, of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum, and/or from 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight, of gold, as corresponding metal salt or tetrachloroauric acid, wherein all percentages by weight are based on the total weight of the catalyst including support material.