Patent ID: 7585987

Claim:
A process for producing propylene oxide, which comprises reacting propylene with oxygen in the presence of a silver catalyst and 0.2 mole to 20 moles of water per mol of propylene, wherein the silver catalyst is a silver-containing composition obtained by contacting i) a silver metal or a silver compound or a mixture thereof, with silicon oxide, and optionally an acid, or a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, an amine compound, an acid adduct salt thereof and a quaternary ammonium salt, or ii) a silver metal or a silver compound or a mixture thereof with an alkaline earth metal carbonate, and at least one selected from the group consisting of an acid, and a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, an amine compound, an acid adduct salt thereof and a quaternary ammonium salt, or iii) a calcined silver-containing composition obtained by calcining the composition of i), or ii) above, and wherein a reducing agent may be used to reduce the silver compound and wherein said water is fed to the reaction.