TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The catalyst is prepared from a precursor containing a catalyst structural component in the form of a compound which is converted to an oxide by baking, or an oxide. The precursor is prepared using sedimentation or co-precipitation method. The precursor is mixed with an aluminum-containing component, and is prepared by using mixture containing copper, zinc and iron. The mixture containing copper, zinc and iron is prepared by co-precipitation method, and in co-presence of a boron compound using copper and iron inorganic acid salt aqueous solution, basic precipitant, and zinc oxide and carbon dioxide.Preferred Component: The aluminum-containing component is a deposit obtained from water-soluble aluminum salt and the basic precipitant, sol-form alumina, or aluminum hydroxide. EXAMPLE - Anhydrous sodium carbonate (in g) (117.8) was dissolved in 2000 ml of ion exchange water, and heated at 40degreesC, to obtain a precipitant aqueous solution. Copper nitrate trihydride (120.8), zinc nitrate hexahydrate (111.5) and iron nitrate (20.2) were added to 2000 ml of ion exchange water in a flask after dissolution. The reaction mixture was maintained at 40degreesC by stirring. The precipitant aqueous solution maintained at 40degreesC was added to the flask, and a deposit was obtained. The deposit was maintained at the same temperature by stirring for 60 minutes. Subsequently, temperature was increased to 80degreesC for 45 minutes, and cooled to 60degreesC after 60 minutes. The reaction material was filtered to obtain a deposit cake. The obtained deposit cake was washed by ion exchange water. Alumina sol Alumina sol 200 (38.5) was added to the deposit cake, and mixed. The mixture was dried at 80degreesC overnight, baked at 380degreesC of air atmosphere for 2 hours, and catalyst containing copper/zinc/iron/aluminum in atomic ratio of 1/0.75/0.1/0.15 was obtained. Subsequently, 1 ml of the catalyst was packed in a stainless steel reaction tube. Methanol aqueous solution with water to methanol molar ratio of 1.5 was added to the reaction tube. Mixed vapor of methanol and water, evaporated with an evaporator was introduced into the reaction tube, and reacted using the catalyst, to obtain hydrogen-containing gas. The methanol reaction rate was 70.98% at 400degreesC, 84.24% at 450degreesC and 93.79% at 500degreesC.