TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Catalysts: The acid catalyst is gamma-alumina, amorphous silica-alumina, steam-treated zeolite, acid washed clay, alumina impregnated clay, MoO3 on gamma-alumina, Lewis acid catalyst or combined Lewis acid and Bronsted acid catalyst. When the electron withdrawing group is carboxylic acid/ester, ketone, nitrile, substituted acetylene, 4-substituted phenyl, 2-substituted vinyl or ethylene-1,2-diyl; the reduced electron withdrawing group is primary alcohol, secondary alcohol, aminomethyl, 4-substituted cyclohexyl, 2-substituted ethyl or ethan-1,2-diyl respectively.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Molecules: The molecule is an acid (preferably acetic acid or propionic acid), ester (preferably methyl acetate or methyl propionate), nitrile (preferably acetonitrile or propionitrile), refinery olefin or ketone (preferably acetone). The molecule is provided in a feedstock free of hydrogen. The electron withdrawing group is a carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid ester, nitrile, aromatic ring, ketone or olefin.Preferred Process: The reaction involves combining the molecule and dimethyl ether in a vapor, liquid or slurry phase. The reaction is represented by equation (1) and (2) and the hydrogenation is represented by equation (3)-(6) . The process is conducted without a basic catalyst.R'(CH2)nCH2-EWG + CH3OCH3 right arrow R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG + CH3OH (Eq1)R'(CH2)nCH2-EWG-CH2(CH2)mR'' +4CH3OCH3 right arrow R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG-CH2(CH2)mR'' + R'(CH2)nCH2-EWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' + R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' +4CH3OH (Eq2)R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG +H2 right arrow R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-REWG (Eq3)R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' + H2right arrowR'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-REWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' (Eq4)R'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG-CH2(CH2)mR'' +H2 right arrowR'(CH2)nCH(CH3)-REWG-CH2(CH2)mR'' (Eq5)R'(CH2)nCH2-EWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' + H2 right arrowR'(CH2)nCH2-REWG-CH(CH3)(CH2)mR'' (Eq6)R' = H when n is 0-18, otherwise R' is alkyl, alkene, EWG or aryl;EWG = electron withdrawing group;REWG = hydrogenated electron withdrawing group.For quation (1-3),R' =H when n is 0-18 and alkyl, alkene, EWG or aryl when n is greater than 18.For equation (4-6),R'' =H when m is 0-9 and alkyl, alkene, EWG or aryl when m is greater than 9.