PURPOSE: To produce methanol and ethanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen, in high efficiency, by using a catalyst obtained by supporting an easily available platinum salt on an oxide of La, Nd or Y.

CONSTITUTION: A platinum salt (e.g. chloride, nitrate, etc.) is dissolved in water or in an alcohol such as methanol, and the solution is added to a metal oxide such as lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide or yttrium oxide. The solvent is removed from the impregnated product and the residue is subjected to e.g. heat-treatment in hydrogen gas or synthetic gas atmosphere to obtain a catalyst. A 1W2C oxygen-containing compound can be produced by reacting a gaseous mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of said catalyst.

EFFECT: A potential substitute fuel saving petroleum resource.