Abstract: A process for preparing a shell-type catalyst which comprises applying to a substantially nonporous inorganic support material having a BET surface area of <80 m2/g, a catalytically active outer shell of a suspension containing at least one water soluble noble metal compound and a substantially water insoluble coating compound, drying the suspension onto the support material, and activating the coated support material in a reducing gas stream.

Abstract: A supported catalyst includes: a) 0.5-15 wt. % of one or more Cu-II compounds, the quantitative amounts referring to copper metal; b) 0.1-8 wt. % of one or more alkali metal compounds, the quantitative amounts referring to alkali metal; c) 0.1-10 wt. % of an oxide mixture including; c1) 80-95 mole % of oxides of cerite rare earths with atomic Nos. 57 to 62, except promethium, and c2) 5-20 mole % of zirconium dioxide, where c1) and c2) must together total 100 mole % and the quantitative amount of c) refers to the oxides of the mixture, and d) the remainder up to 100 wt. % being .gamma. and/or .alpha.-aluminum oxide as support material, wherein e) the support material d) has a total pore volume in the range from 0.65 to 1.2 cm.sup.3 /g, and wherein f) the supported catalyst is present in the form of cylindrical hollow bodies having at least one passage channel, the ratio of height h to external diameter d.sup.e being less than 1.5 for diameters d.sub.e of up to 6 mm, and the ratio h/d.sub.e being less than 0.