Method for producing methyl isobutyl ketone

A method for producing methyl isobutyl ketone, which comprises contacting acetone and hydrogen in the presence of palladium and an oxide and/or a hydroxide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Group IVB and Group VB elements treated with an organosilicon compound of the formula (I):

• R.sup.1.sub.a (OR.sup.2).sub.b x.sub.c Si (I)
• wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, vinyl and aryl having a total carbon number of at most 30, wherein R.sup.1 may be substituted with groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, alkyl substituted amino, mercapto, glycidoxy, carboxyl and carbonyl and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be the same or different, X is an element selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine, and a, b and c are such that 0.ltoreq.a<4, 0.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.4 and 0.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.4, respectively, and a+b+c=4.