High catalytic activity in the methanol synthesis from carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be produced with ceria supported copper catalysts prepared by a coprecipitation method at a reaction temperature below 200 degrees C. In comparison with commercial copper-zinc catalysts, the equivalent activity is obtained it a lower reaction temperature by 60 degrees C, while it is still unstable. Although the reaction atmosphere is reductive, metallic copper particles formed in the pretreatment with hydrogen are oxidized and the catalyst is highly activated. The size of the copper oxide species produced is significantly small, showing dispersion of copper on cerium oxide during the reaction. Hence, the interaction between copper and cerium oxide is probably indispensable for the appearance of the high catalytic activity. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.