Role of the surface acid-base properties of silver catalysts in the partial oxidation of ethylene glycol

The acid-base properties of a bulk silver catalyst and silver catalysts supported on various carriers for the partial oxidation of ethylene glycol were studied. A relationship between the catalytic activity and the concentration of surface acid sites in the catalysts was found. A mechanism was proposed for the participation of Lewis acid sites in the reaction of partial ethylene glycol oxidation to glyoxal.