TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The precursor of A is chosen from oxide, hydroxide, carbonate, chloride or nitrate of barium or strontium. The precursor of M is chosen from oxide, oxy-chloride, chloride or nitrate of titanium or zirconium. Preferred Process: The gel is dried at 130-180 degrees C for 8-15 hours. The powder is calcined to form ceramic material and sized to dimensions suitable for a catalytic reactor. The powder is heated by raising the temperature in a temperature profile comprising a series of successive ramping and holding at some intermediate temperature stages up to the calcining temperature, and the temperature is raised to the calcining temperature at rate of 3-10 degrees C/minute. The powder is heated by increasing the temperature from room temperature to 200 degrees C, 400 degrees C, 600 degrees C and 850 degrees C at rate of 10 degrees C/minute in temperature profile with holding time of 20 minutes at each specified intermediate temperature, and calcined at 850 degrees C for 6-12 hours. The powder is calcined at 700-1200 degrees C. The ceramic material is mixed with secondary or auxiliary catalyst component (NB'O/S'),N=metal chosen from group IA and IIA of periodic table, preferably sodium, potassium or magnesium;B'=metal chosen from group VB, VIB and VIIB of periodic table, preferably vanadium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten and manganese;O=oxygen;andS'=silica, alumina, silica-gel, zirconia, titania or zeolite.The molar ratio of N and B' is 1:1. The secondary catalyst is prepared by impregnating metallic components on the support. The slurry components are mixed with NB'O/S' components and stirred at 50-130 degrees C for 4 hours, dried and calcined. The composition contains 80-100 weight% of primary component and 0-20 weight% of secondary component. The method further involves adding carbon dioxide into the feed gas stream.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The organic acid is chosen from acetic acid, propionic acid, oxalic acid, acetoacetic acid, oxalic acid and citric acid. The alcohol is chosen from methanol, ethanol, propanol, 2-propanol, and butanol.