Process for the production of vinyl acetate from ethylene

In the process for the production of vinyl acetate from ethylene, which comprises uniting ethylene and oxygen or oxygen-containing gases in the presence of a catalytic mixture consisting essentially of palladium and copper halogenides and an acetate being a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal acetates in acetic acid, at high temperature and pressure, the improvement which comprises:

• a. removing the catalytic mixture from the reaction vessel in which the vinyl acetate is being produced,
• b. subjecting said mixture to an electrolytic deposition process in which the catalytic mixture removed from said vessel is transferred for electrolytic deposition to the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell in which the electrodes are separated by porous baffles, while a dilute acid solution is introduced into the anode compartment, said palladium and copper being recovered substantially in their elementary form,
• c. said metallic palladium and copper being placed in suspension in a dilute aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid and converted into their respective chloride salts by bubbling a member selected from the group consisting of chloride gas, air, and oxygen gas into said suspension, and
• d. feeding the thus formed palladium and copper chloride salts back to the reaction vessel in which the vinyl acetate is being produced,
• said electrolytic deposition being carried out at a cathode current density ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 A./sq.dm., and
• the temperature during the electrolytic deposition ranging from 60.degree. to 90.degree. C.