TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The promoter is ruthenium or osmium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The step of producing ethanoic acid by carbonylation of methanol comprises contacting methanol with carbon monoxide, in the liquid reaction composition, in a carbonylation reactor, where the liquid reaction composition comprises ethanoic acid, an iridium catalyst, methyl iodide, water (0.1-15 (preferably 1-6.5) wt.%) and a promoter. The secondary hydrogenation unit is operated in a gas phase regime at temperature of at least 10 degrees C, preferably at least 20 degrees C, lower than the operating temperature of the primary hydrogenation unit. The ethanoic acid (50-90%, preferably 60-80%) introduced into the primary hydrogenation unit is converted into ethanol and ethyl ethanoate per pass. The ethyl ethanoate (at least 50%, preferably at least 95%) introduced into the secondary hydrogenation unit is converted into ethanol per pass. The stream exiting the primary and secondary hydrogenation unit, which comprises ethanol, ethanoic acid, ethyl ethanoate and hydrogen, is passed through a separation unit, where the separated ethanoic acid is recycled to the primary hydrogenation unit and the separated ethyl ethanoate is recycled to the secondary hydrogenation unit. The separated hydrogen is recycled into either the primary hydrogenation unit and/or the secondary hydrogenation unit. Preferred Components: The molar ratio of hydrogen to ethanoic acid that is introduced into the primary hydrogenation unit is greater than 2:1, preferably greater than 5:1 or less than 100:1, preferably less than 15:1. The molar ratio of hydrogen to ethyl ethanoate and ethanoic acid that is introduced into the secondary hydrogenation unit is greater than 2:1, preferably greater than 5:1 or less than 100:1, preferably less than 15:1. EXAMPLE - Hydrogen and ethanoic acid with a molar ratio of 10:1 was passed in the primary reactor over the palladium-silver-rhenium-iron catalyst at 230 degrees C and 2 MPa pressure. The conversion of ethanoic acid to ethyl groups recoverable as ethanol was 41.9%, of which 19.7% was ethyl ethanoate, 21.6% ethanol, 0.4% ethanol and 0.2% was diethyl ether. Hydrogen and ethyl ethanoate with a molar ratio of 10:1 was passed in the secondary reactor over the copper-based catalyst at 200 degrees C and 5 MPa pressure. The conversion of ethyl ethanoate to ethyl groups recoverable as ethanol was 69.5%.