Structure Sensitivity of the Catalytic Oxidation of Ethene by Silver

The partial oxidation of ethene to produce ethene oxide using silver catalysts has received considerable attention because it is the basis of a several billion dollar per year industry. It is also of fundamental interest because silver is the only metal to catalyze the production of ethene oxide in economic yields. It is not surprising to find that the mechanism of the catalytic reaction and the reactor engineering associated with the commercial process have been extensively reviewed.