A shell-and-tube type heat exchange reactor for performing a catalytic gas-phase
partial oxidation reaction, comprising a shell-side heat exchange passage for circulating a
heat transfer medium and a reaction passage including a plurality of reaction tubes, an inlet for introducing a reaction
stream into the reaction passage, and an outlet from the reaction passage for recovering the
discharge stream from the reaction tubes. The reaction tubes include a reactant preheating zone adjacent to the inlet and a
reaction zone downstream of the reactant preheating zone, the
reaction zone having a catalytically active wire matrix insert having a catalytically active
noble metal on at least a part of its surface. This reactor reduces the need for frequent maintenance in the form of
catalyst regeneration and / or replacement. The catalyst can be easily arranged in the reaction tubes and can be easily removed from the reaction tubes. Only the portion of the entire reaction
stream that flows near the wall of the hot reaction tubes is heated. As a result, the portion of the reaction stream flowing through the center of the reaction tubes is not heated to the
reaction temperature, and thus blind reactions of unstable starting materials are reduced or even avoided.