Patent ID: 8088708

Claim:
A method for producing a catalyst precursor substance, which comprises: mixing a solution comprising a copper salt, a zinc salt, and an aluminum salt with a solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide to form a mixture having a pH of 8 to 11.5, to thereby form a precipitate, wherein, in the solution comprising a copper salt, a zinc salt, and an aluminum salt, the atomic ratio Cu/(Cu+Zn+Al) is 0.1 to 0.9, the atomic ratio Zn/Cu is 0.05 to 1.0, and the atomic ratio Zn/Al is 0.05 to 1.5, and wherein the catalyst precursor substance comprises copper, zinc, and aluminum and exhibits an X-ray diffraction pattern comprising broad peaks at interplanar spacings d (Å) of 5.0±0.5 Å, 3.7±0.3 Å, 2.6±0.2 Å, 2.3±0.2 Å, and 1.7±0.1 Å.