TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The partially converting the methanol comprises a dimethyl ether catalyst comprising of gamma -alumina and copper-zinc-alumina catalyst. Preferred Components: The catalyst is a particulate solid catalyst. The catalyst comprises: methanol/dimethyl ether catalyst comprising gamma -alumina, copper-zinc-alumina, copper-zinc oxide-manganese oxide, copper-aluminum-zinc, copper-aluminum alloy (CuAl2), zeolite sieve of molecular porosity, silica-alumina, iron-based, cobalt-based, ruthenium-based and/or their composites; or at least one of gamma -alumina and copper-zinc-alumina.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method further comprises: activating the catalyst in situ by exposure to a dilute hydrogen gas; partially converting the methanol to dimethyl ether to form a mixture of methanol and dimethyl ether simultaneously with production of the methanol; and exposing the mixture of methanol and dimethyl ether to a zeolite catalyst under conditions to form the hydrocarbon fuel. The hydrophobicity of the ionic liquid is tuned by substituting hydrogen terminated alkyl chain groups with fluorine terminated alkyl chain groups. Preferred Components: The ionic liquid comprises: an anion comprising halides, sulfates, nitrates, nitrites, acetates, trifluoromethanesulfonates and/or heteropolyanions, preferably bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide; and a cation comprising tetraalkylammonium, imidazolium, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium (preferred), 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium, 1-n-propyl-3-methyl-imidazolium, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-ethyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium, 2,3-dimethyl-1-propyl-imidazolium, praseodymium (IV), strontium (IV), imidazolium-1,3-yl compounds of formula (a), pyridinium-1-yl compounds of formula (b), isoquinolinium-2-yl compounds of formula (c), pyrimido(1,2-a)azepinium compounds of formula (d), thiazolium compounds of formula (e) and/or pyrrolidinium compounds of formula (f). The ionic liquid: is a polyanionic liquid, or polycationic liquid; is solid at room temperature; and is a liquid at 150-300 degrees C. The reaction products comprise methanol.