Abstract: A catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide by the vapor phase oxidation of ethylene under specific conditions such that an amount of chlorine suffered to adhere thereto is not more than 2 mol % per mol of silver after the duration of the reaction caused under the specific conditions has totalled 240 hours from the start of the reaction, a silver catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide which incorporates therein an organic nitrogen compound, methods for the production of the catalysts mentioned above, and a method for the production of ethylene oxide by the gaseous-phase oxidation of ethylene with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of such a catalyst.

Abstract: A silver catalyst having fine silver particles dispersed and deposited fast on the outer surface of a porous inorganic refractory carrier and on the inner wall surface of pores in said carrier and used in the production of ethylene oxide by the catalytic gas-phase oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen, which silver catalyst is characterized by containing a compound of at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of cesium, rubidium, potassium, and thallium (monovalent) as dispersed and deposited fast in an amount in the range of 1.times.10.sup.-6 to 5.times.10.sup.-6 gram equivalent per the unit surface area, m.sup.2, of said silver on the surface of said silver.