Catalysts

A method of preparing a modified catalyst support, the method comprising:

• contacting a catalyst support material with a modifying component precursor in an impregnating liquid medium wherein the impregnating liquid medium comprises a mixture of water and an organic liquid solvent for the modifying component precursor, which mixture contains at least 2.5% by volume water, but less than 12% by volume water based on the total volume of the impregnating liquid medium, the catalyst support material is selected from the group consisting of a catalyst support precursor which is convertible to a catalyst support upon calcination thereof, the catalyst support being in the form of a metal oxide which is an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ti, Mg, Zr and Zn;
• and a catalyst support selected from the group consisting of alumina in the form of one or more aluminium oxides, silica (SiO2), titania (TiO2), magnesia (MgO), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), zinc oxide (ZnO) and mixtures thereof;
• and the modifying component precursor comprises a compound of a modifying component selected from the group consisting of Si, Zr, Ti, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ba, Ni, Al, V, W, La and mixtures of two or more thereof, thereby to obtain a modifying component containing catalyst support material;
• and
• optionally, calcining the modifying component containing catalyst support material at a temperature above 100° C. to obtain a modified catalyst support.