Process for producing a catalyst comprising an intermetallic compound and a catalyst produced by the process

A process for producing a catalyst comprising an intermetallic compound, the process comprising following steps:

• (a) Mixing of a salt comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au and Ru, a salt comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La and the lanthanides, and a reducing agent comprising a salt, wherein the mixing is carried out at a temperature where all components are solid;
• (b) Reacting the mixture obtained in step (a) to form an intermetallic compound by heating said mixture to a temperature in the range between the melting temperature of the reducing agent and the melting temperature of the intermetallic compound and holding the temperature for 1 minute to 600 minutes;
• (c) Optionally, washing the mixture obtained in step (b) once or repeatedly with one or more aprotic solvents or combinations of aprotic solvents, whereby a salt of the cation of the reducing agent and at least one of the anions of the salts used in step (a) does not dissolve in said solvent, followed by heating the mixture obtained after washing to a temperature in the range between the melting temperature of the reducing agent and the melting temperature of the intermetallic compound and holding the temperature for 1 minute to 600 minutes, wherein the washing and heating can be carried out repeatedly;
• and
• (d) Washing the mixture obtained in step (b) or (c) to remove by-products and remainders of the salt of the cations of the reducing agent and at least one of the anions of the salts used in step (a).