Patent ID: 6900156

Claim:
A method for preparing a metal cyanide catalyst, comprising mixing an acidic metal cyanide compound with a zero valent metal in a solvent medium for the acidic metal cyanide compound under conditions such that the zero valent metal and the acidic metal cyanide compound react to form a multimetal cyanide catalyst insoluble in that solvent medium, wherein: a) the acidic metal cyanide compound is represented by the general formula H w [M 1 (CN) r (X) t ] in which M 1 is a transition metal ion; each X represents a group other than cyanide that coordinates with the M 1 ion; r is from 4 to 6, t is from 0 to 2, and w represents the absolute value of the valence of the M 1 (CN) r (X) t group; and b) the zero valent metal is a metal that reacts with the acidic metal cyanide compound to form an insoluble multimetal cyanide catalyst complex.