TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The sulfated zirconia is predominantly in the tetragonal form. The first feed further comprises hydrogen. The catalyst comprises sulfur (at least 0.02 wt.%) and gold (at least 0.001 wt.%) based on the weight of zirconia. EXAMPLE - A catalyst sample was prepared starting from an CK 300 (RTM: alumina support) (25 g), previously calcined at 600degreesC. The zirconium deposition was done in a ball by impregnating the support with a solution formed by the dissolution of Prolabo (RTM: zirconyl chloride) (3.48 g) and ammonium chloride (0.46 g) distilled water (11 ml) with a volume corresponding to the porous volume of the support. The solid obtained was dried overnight at 120degreesC, then calcined for 2 hours at 650degreesC. This operation was repeated twice, then the solid obtained was calcined for 4 hours at 750degreesC followed by sulfation of the zirconium deposited on the surface of the alumina support by circulating a 5N sulfuric acid solution (162 ml) at room temperature for 1 hour. Then the solid was spun-dry then allowed to dry overnight at 120degreesC. Next it was calcined for 2 hours at 500degreesC in a flow of dry air at 60 l/hour. Gold was deposited on the calcined sample by preparing a solution of HAuCl4.3H2O (0.34 g) in distilled water (600 ml), heating to 60 C, adjusting the pH to 8.6 and then adding the calcined sulfated zirconia (6 g). The resulting solid was filtered off, dried and the powdered sample was pressed and sized to -18/+40 mesh. The catalyst (2 cc) was diluted with acid-washed alundum (6 cc) of same size and loaded into a 1/2 inches O.D. stainless steel tube reactor. The catalyst bed was held in place with alundum and glass wool plugs on both ends. The catalyst was heated to up 250degreesC at a rate of 50degreesC/hour in a 200 sccm flow of nitrogen overnight and then cooled to a test temperature. The catalyst was tested for CO (carbon monoxide) oxidation activity by introducing to the reactor a CO/air feed at the ratio of 2 - 3 at 6000/hour GHSV at room temperature. The temperature in the reactor increased to about 150degreesC when oxygen conversion approached 100% and stabilized. No decline in CO conversion was observed over 120 hours operation. At 20000/hour GHSV, 200degreesC and 30 psi the CO conversion remained on average at about 98%. In a similar manner another catalyst (comparative) was also prepared in the absence of sulfate. The comparative showed a CO conversion initially of as much as 85%. However at constant temperature (200degreesC) after 10 hours the conversion declined to about 72% and after 20 hours to about 64%.