Direct conversion of natural gas into synthetic fuels such as methanol attracts keen attention because direct process can reduce capital and operating costs of high temperature, energy intensive, multi-step processes. We report a direct and selective synthesis of organic oxygenates such as methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid via methane partial oxidation at room temperature using non-thermal discharge microreactor. Heat generated by methane partial oxidation is removed efficiently in the microreactor configuration: liquid components are condensed on the reactor wall and separated from O-2-rich reactive plasma, enabling selective synthesis of oxygenates while high methane conversion is achieved in a single reactor. As a result, organic oxygenates were synthesized with one-pass yield of 5-20% with 70-30% selectivity. In addition to oxygenates, syngas was produced with selectivity of 40% and H-2/CO = 1. Assuming one step catalytic DME synthesis as a post-discharge process, one-pass liquid yield of 30% with 80% selectivity is feasible. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.