ZrO2-doped CuZnO catalyst prepared by successive-precipitation method was investigated by ICP-AES, BET, TEM, XRD, EXAFS, H-2-TPR and CO/CO2 hydrogenation. The active phase of copper in CuZnO catalyst prepared by co-precipitation method was well-crystallized. The presence of ZrO2 led to a high copper dispersion, which was distinctive from CuZnO. Though the activity for carbon monoxide hydrogenation was little lower than that of CuZnO catalyst, ZrO2-doped CuZnO catalyst showed much higher activity and selectivity towards methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide hydrogenation. Moreover, ZrO2-doped-CuZnO catalyst showed high performance for methanol synthesis from CO2-rich syngas. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.