Abstract: A copper-nickel catalyst containing on an inert, refractory carrier metallic copper and nickel as active component bound to the carrier, characterized in that(a) the catalyst contains at least 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the catalyst, of metallic copper,(b) the catalyst contains less than 20% by weight of metallic nickel, based on the total weight of metallic copper and metallic nickel, the catalyst containing at least 1% by weight of metallic nickel, based on the total weight of the catalyst,(c) at least 80% by weight of the nickel is alloyed in the metallic copper,(d) the copper-nickel-alloy is present on the carrier in small metal particles with an average particle size of less than 14 nm.The invention also relates to the production of this catalyst and to its use for the reaction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen.

Abstract: A process for the production of a catalyst containing metallic copper, silver, gold, platinum or palladium in finely divided form as basic metal and at least one metal of Group VIII of the Periodic System of Elements as active component on an inert, refractory support, the catalyst containing the basis metal being heated to a temperature above 100.degree. C. and one or more carbonyls of metals different from the basis metal and belonging to Group VIII of the Periodic System of Elements being allowed to act on the heated catalyst so that those metals are alloyed into the basis metal. The invention also refers to catalysts obtained by such process.