TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The methanol synthesis catalyst includes an oxide of copper, silver, zinc, boron, magnesium, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, manganese, gallium, palladium, osmium or zirconium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The methanol product is recovered from liquid layers, and cooled. Each liquid layer is at an average temperature that cools the gas flowing across it of not greater than 250degreesC. The gases and liquid layers are flowed in a vessel at greater than or equal to 30 bar. Each bed has an average temperature in a linear arrangement or profile that differs from one another of 0-10degreesC. The methanol is formed at an approach to equilibrium temperature of not greater than 15degreesC. It is continued to form until overall conversion of the carbon monoxide is greater than or equal to 50%. The gas is flowed at a weight hourly space velocity of not greater than 100/hour to achieve a drop pressure through catalyst bed of greater than or equal to 0.01 psi/ft of bed height, and gas has an average temperature of not greater than 210degreesC.Preferred Component: The liquid layers contain an additional methanol adsorbent from water, monohydric alcohols or polyhydric alcohols. EXAMPLE - A computer-based model was used to simulate the production of methanol. Catalyst beds were housed in the reaction vessel. Reflux from the settler vessel was returned to the reaction vessel. A portion of the methanol product was recovered and cooled for return to the reaction vessel between beds. Partial conversion of syngas feed over pre-conversion reactor was carried out at 67% carbon dioxide and 64% hydrogen gas conversion. Each of the catalyst beds in the countercurrent flow vessel was allowed to approach equilibrium conversion at adiabatic conditions at 100degreesC approach to equilibrium conversion.    Analysis showed that a high overall conversion of syngas was achieved with 93% for carbon dioxide and 89% hydrogen gas.