Answer:
Methanol is made by a method different from that used in the preparation of ethanol. The naphtha fraction from the distillation of crude petroleum, is used as a raw material for the manufacture of methanol. When naphtha is reacted with a high steam ratio, under pressure and at a high temperature, synthesis gas of low methane content is obtained.
Most of the carbon from the naphtha is converted to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide which can be removed from the gaseous mixture to leave a high purity of hydrogen. When a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the ratio 2:1 is passed over a catalyst (e.g. a mixture of zinc oxide and chromium oxide) under high pressure and at a high temperature, methanol is formed.