Catalyst and method of manufacturing the same and its use

The catalyst comprises a spinel consisting of copper, zinc and aluminium. The spinel of formula CaaZnbAlcO4 is mixed with palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, iridium or rhenium and/or rare earth such as lanthanum and cerium, vanadium, titanium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten and/or their salts; where a + b + c = 3 and a > 0, b > 0 and c > O. Also claimed is the production of the catalyst in which a spinel is produced from copper oxide, zinc oxide and aluminium oxide, and to the spinel is added Pd, Pt, Rh, Re, Os, Ir, Ru and/or rare earths, e.g. Ln and Ce, V, Ti, Mo, W and their salts and oxides. The spinel is preferably impregnated with cerium oxide in an amount of 0.5-15 wt.% especially 1-8 wt.%.