TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The mixed metal component comprises both metal A and metal B. The mixed metal component further comprises a metal C selected from Mo, Cr and W. Metal A is in the form of a metal A compound; or metal B is in the form of a metal B compound; or metal C, if present is in the form of a metal C compound; or at least two metals A, B and C are present in the form of compounds. The metal C is Mo, and is other than sulfide. The metal A is Ce and the metal B is Zr. The molar ratio of the promoter to the metal B is 0.1 - 1 or 0.01 - 0.1. The active metal is at a concentration of less than 10 wt.%. The active metal is deposited at the surface of the catalyst formulation. All of the active metal is deposited at the surface of the catalyst formulation. The promoter is present as a promoter compound. The catalyst formulation further comprises a support. The support has a surface area of 100 - 500 m2/g. The support comprises the mixed metal component. The promoter compound is selected from free metals, oxides, hydroxides, carbonates and hydroxycarbonates. The metal A compound and metal B compound is selected from oxides, hydroxides, carbonates and hydroxycarbonates; and the metal C compound is selected from oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, hydroxycarbonates, chlorides and fluorides (preferably oxide). The support is a metal oxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The applied gas is at 100 - 600 (preferably 250 - 450)degreesC and at a pressure of 20 - 300 atm. The gas is passed over the catalyst formulation at 250 - 450degreesC, at a pressure of 20 - 350 atm and at a flowrate of 1000 - 20000 h-1. The conversion of the carbon monoxide to the lower oxygenated aliphatic compounds generates a yield of greater than 50 g of the oxygenated aliphatic compounds per kilogram of catalyst per hour. (P2) Further involves calcining and reducing the catalyst formulation; and depositing the catalyst formulation on a support. The reduction is carried out by exposing the catalyst formulation to a gas comprising hydrogen or carbon monoxide. Preferred Components - The source of the applied gas is selected from biomass gas, synthesis gas, landfill gas, stranded gas and natural gas. The oxygenated tower aliphatic compounds comprise ethanol. The oxygenated aliphatic compounds comprise ethanol and methanol and the ratio of ethanol to methanol is greater than 7 - 3. EXAMPLE - An alkali promoted CeO2-ZrO2 catalyst was further promoted by the addition of molybdenum oxide. The Pd/molybdenum oxide/CeO2-ZrO2 was prepared by a deposition method. A mixture of zirconia, cerium oxide and molybdenum trioxide was dispersed in a solution of palladium nitrate. Subsequently sodium carbonate (0.25 M) solution was slowly added to this solution at 70degreesC until the pH reached 10. The dispersion was then aged at the same temperature for 1 hour. The resulting solid was filtered and washed with distilled water, dried for 24 hours at room temperature, and then calcined at 400degreesC for 1 hour in air. The product was impregnated with 1M KOH. The molar ratio between Pd and K was 0.4. The calcined catalyst was reduced initially a flow of nitrogen (396 cc/min) and hydrogen (40.8 cc/min) was passed over the catalyst for 1 hour at 400degreesC and subsequently pure H2 (40.8 cc/min) was passed over the catalyst for 12 hours at 500degreesC. This catalyst solution was used for preparation of oxygenated lower aliphatic compounds using syn gas. The selectivity of methanol obtained is 62% at 10.5% yield.