In the presence of SO2 the efficiency of oxidation of CO and hydrocarb
ons over supported platinum group metals is lowered. Spectral measurem
ents under reaction conditions made it possible to determine two possi
ble reasons for this phenomenon: an increase in the degree of oxidatio
n of the supported metal atoms in the presence of SO2 and blocking of
the active phase as a result of the formation of Pt-SO(x) surface comp
lexes. One of the methods of decreasing the contaminating effect of SO
2 is protection of the support surface with a coating Of SiO2 which su
bstantially lowers the rate of formation of sulfates and decreases the
stability of the Pt-SO(x) surface complexes.