Selective hydrogenation methods and catalysts

A method for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, the method comprising contacting a catalyst composition with a process gas comprising

• ethylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 10 mol. %;
• acetylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least about 1 ppm, calculated on a molar basis;
• hydrogen, present in the process gas in amount of at least 5 mol. %;
• and
• 0 ppm to 120 ppm carbon monoxide, calculated on a molar basis;
• wherein the catalyst composition comprises
• a porous support, present in the catalyst composition in an amount within a range of 90 wt. % to 99.9 wt. %;
• palladium, present in the catalyst composition in an amount within a range of at least 0.02 wt. %, calculated on an elemental mass basis;
• and
• one or more ionic liquids, present in the catalyst composition in a combined amount in a range of 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. %;
• wherein the process gas is contacted with the catalyst composition at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) based on a total catalyst volume in one bed or multiple beds in a range of 7,500 h−1 to 30,000 h−1;
• and
• wherein at least 90% of the acetylene present in the process gas is hydrogenated, and no more than 1 mol. % of the total of acetylene and ethylene present in the process gas is converted to ethane.