Shell impregnated catalyst and process for producing a shell impregnated catalyst body

A process for producing a catalyst body, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing a carrier comprising magnesium alumina spinel and/or Calcium aluminates, wherein the carrier has a pore volume 200-400 ml/kg and a BET surface area 2-50 m2/g,
• modifying said carrier by a first impregnation with at least one alkaline earth metal in a first metal precursor solution, wherein the alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, and Ba,
• decomposing the first metal precursor at a temperature of from 300-900° C. to form an alkaline earth metal oxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide layer on the carrier, thereby obtaining a modified carrier,
• carrying out a second impregnation by a second precursor solution comprising at least one metal Me in a second solution, the metal Me comprising a catalytic metal, wherein the second precursor solution is Me-nitrate, Me-citrate, Me-Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), or Me-Ethylenediamine (EDA) and
• decomposing the second precursor to metal oxide, thereby obtaining a catalyst body having an enrichment of the at least one catalytic metal Me in an outer shell of the catalyst body, said at least one catalytic metal Me being present in a concentration having either an egg-shell profile and/or a hammock profile.