TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The alcohol synthesis unit comprises a methanol synthesis catalyst which is a mixture of copper, zinc oxide, and a promoter including chromia or alumina.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Component: The alcohol synthesis unit further comprises a hydrogenation catalyst selected from a precious metal based catalyst comprising noble metal(s) from Group VIII of the periodic table (including iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, or platinum), and metals selected from rhenium, tungsten and/or molybdenum, and optionally an additional metal that is capable of alloying with Group VIII noble metal; and/or a copper-based catalyst which is different from the methanol catalyst (including copper chromite or a mixed copper metal oxide based catalyst where the second metal is copper, zinc, zirconium, or manganese). The hydrogenation catalyst mixed with the methanol catalyst is a supported copper based catalyst which is different from the methanol catalyst and which comprises copper and promoters including copper, manganese, and/or chromium, supported on zinc oxide. The promoter in the liquid reaction composition is ruthenium, osmium, rhenium, cadmium, mercury, zinc, gallium, indium, or tungsten; and is at a molar ratio of promoter:iridium of 0.5-15:1.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process for the production of ethanoic acid by carbonylation of methanol comprises contacting methanol with carbon monoxide, in the liquid reaction composition, in a carbonylation unit. The ethanoate stream exiting the esterification unit is purified to remove ethanoic acid, carbonylation catalyst and water, before its introduction into the alcohol synthesis unit. The methyl ethanoate stream is vaporized prior to its introduction into the alcohol synthesis unit. Preferred Condition: The alcohol synthesis unit is operated at more than 180 degrees C, preferably less than 290 degrees C, and at more than 2 MPa, preferably less than 10 MPa. The feed mixture including recycles entering the alcohol synthesis unit is more than 10 degrees C, preferably more than 20 degrees C above its dew point temperature. Preferred Component: Molar ratio of ((hydrogen)-(carbon dioxide (CO2)))/((CO)+(CO2)) in the fresh synthesis gas feed stream fed into the alcohol synthesis unit is greater than 3.8, preferably than 6. The stream exiting the alcohol synthesis unit comprises an ethanol/ethyl ethanoate azeotrope which is recovered and recycled to the alcohol synthesis unit. The liquid reaction composition comprises ethanoic acid, an iridium catalyst (100-6000, preferably 700-3000 ppm), methyl iodide (1-20, preferably 5-16 wt.%), water (0.1-15, preferably 1-6.5 wt.%), and promoter(s). Molar ratio of alcohol(s) to ethanoic acid, introduced into the esterification unit is 1.1-2. The ethanoate stream contains less than 5 ppm, preferably less than 0.1 ppm of esterification catalyst; less than 5 wt.%, preferably less than 100 ppm of ethanoic acid; and less than 20, preferably less than 0.2 wt.% of water. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.