Abstract: A catalyst, which consists essentially of a catalytic metal, or metals, of the platinum group distributed on a carrier of active alumina and exhibits high conversion ability for CO and HC and good durability but exhibits a relatively low activity on the oxidation of SO.sub.2, is produced by impregnating the carrier with an aqueous solution containing, dissolved therein, a complex of a salt of EDTA and the catalytic metal and baking the impregnated carrier in a stream of steam at temperatures between 300 and 700.degree. C.

Abstract: A catalyst which consists essentially of a carrier of active alumina and, distributed upon the carrier, at least one catalytic metal selected from Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir and is produced by impregnating the carrier with an aqueous solution of thermally decomposable catalytic metal salt(s) and baking the impregnated carrier in 100% steam at 300.degree.-600.degree. C. The total amount of the catalytic metal(s) in the catalyst is 0.03-0.3 Wt%, and the amounts of Rh and Ir both are limited to 0-0.03 Wt%. The catalyst features a high conversion ability for hydrocarbons, good durability and a low activity on the conversion of SO.sub.2 to SO.sub.3 particularly when a combination of Pt and/or Pd, and either Rh or Ir is used as the catalytic metals.