Method for producing carboxylic esters

摘要

Method for producing a carboxylic ester from an aldehyde, an alcohol and molecular oxygen, which comprises using a catalyst comprising a crystalline metallosilicate type carrier having supported thereon Pd and Pb in a Pd/Pb atomic ratio (S) of from 3/0.7 to 3/1.3, and which exhibits a maximum intensity peak at a diffraction angle (2&thetas;) in the range of from 38.55 DEG to 38.70 DEG in a powder X-ray diffraction pattern thereof, wherein the peak is ascribed to the (111) crystal face diffraction of a Pd-Pb intermetallic compound. The catalyst can be efficiently produced by subjecting a catalyst precursor comprising a carrier having supported thereon a reducible Pd compound or a mixture of a reducible Pd compound and a reducible Pb compound to a reduction treatment in the presence of lead ions and at least one compound selected from a lower fatty acid, an alkali metal salt and an alkaline earth metal salt, or by subjecting a catalyst prepared by a conventional method, which comprises a carrier having supported thereon Pd or a mixture of Pd and Pb, to an activation treatment.