The first spectroscopic study of the 3p <-- no multiphoton excitation of jet-cooled methanol and ethanol is presented. The mass-resolved resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra of CH3OH and CD3OD are compared to the VUV absorption spectra. The 2 + 1 REMPI spectra of CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2OD have a well-resolved vibrational structure and are attribute to trans ethanol. The production of the methyl radical (from methanol and ethanol) is revealed by its 3p(z)(2)A ''(2) <-- <(X)over tilde>(2) A ''(2) 2+ 1 REMPI spectrum. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.