Patent ID: 7626068

Claim:
A method for preparing acetic acid from substituted or unsubstituted ethane, the method comprising: providing substituted or unsubstituted ethane and a gaseous oxidant to a reaction zone containing a catalyst and a co-catalyst, the catalyst consisting essentially of Ni, a Ni oxide, a Ni salt, or mixtures thereof and one or more components chosen from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, Nb, Co, Hf, W, Zn, Zr, Al, oxides thereof and salts thereof, or mixtures thereof, and the co-catalyst having activity to oxidize ethylene to acetic acid, and dehydrogenating the substituted or unsubstituted ethane to form substituted or unsubstituted ethylene; and oxidizing the unsubstituted or substituted ethylene to form substituted or unsubstituted acetic acid wherein the catalyst and co-catalyst are in separated phases.