Using alcohol catalytic chemical vapor deposition technique, the relationships among catalyst species, alcohol and synthesis temperature have been investigated in the temperature range from 600 to 1000 degrees C. In this experiment molybdenum-cobalt functions best as a catalyst among the three catalysts (iron-cobalt, Fe/Co; molybdenum-cobalt, Mo/Co; rhodium-palladium, Rh/Pd), for ethanol. A similar temperature dependency has been observed for both Fe/Co and Mo/Co catalysts; however, different chiral indices have been synthesized. In case of methanol, Mo/Co can work less efficiently than Fe/Co. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.