Abstract: An improved silver catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen is made by impregnating a support with a silver salt prepared by reacting a silver compound with a neo-acid, in a hydrocarbon solvent with the reaction completed under reflux conditions; drying and activating the resultant precatalyst by heating in air; thereafter impregnating the activated catalyst with an amount, 800 to 5000 wppm of alkali metal, preferably Cs, to deactivate the catalyst to form a catalyst precursor and heating the catalyst precursor at 450.degree.-700.degree. C. for 0.1 to 4.5 hours at a steady state in a substantially inert atmosphere to reactivate it.