CO hydrogenation activity and product selectivity of a modified Cu/ZnO catalyst was investigated in a wide range of temperatures, pressures, space velocities, and synthesis gas compositions. Except alcohols, the catalyst produced a significant amount of hydrocarbons and CO2. The formation of alcohols and hydrocarbons follows the Anderson-Schulz-Flory distribution. Based on the experimental results obtained in a stirred tank slurry reactor, a mechanistic-kinetic model was developed. The main assumption of the model was that formation of alcohols and hydrocarbons occurred independently on different types of active sites. The model successfully predicts product formation rates within the range of experimental conditions used in this study. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.