Process for selective hydrogenation of acetylene in an ethylene purification process

A process for the manufacture of a catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene without in-situ prereduction of the catalyst comprising

• preparing a catalyst support with a surface area less than about 100 m2/g,
• impregnating the catalyst support with a palladium metal source, wherein the palladium metal source is selected from the group consisting of palladium salt and metallic palladium,
• calcining the palladium impregnated catalyst support,
• impregnating the palladium impregnated catalyst support with a gold metal source, wherein the gold metal source is selected from the group consisting of a gold salt and metallic gold,
• calcining the palladium/gold impregnated catalyst,
• reducing the palladium/gold impregnated catalyst with a reducing material, and
• washing and drying the catalyst material, wherein the catalyst material comprises from about 0.001 to about 0.028 weight percent palladium metal source and from about 0.18 to about 1.0 weight percent of a gold metal source and wherein the ratio of the gold metal source to the palladium metal source, calculated as elemental materials, is from about 6:1 to about 50:1 based on the weight of the metallic sources, and wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the catalyst.