Direct　hydrogenation　of　CO　to　alcohols　through　Fischer-Tropsch　reaction　process　is　taken　great　interest　in　recent　years.　In　this　study,　a　series　of　β-Mo2C/γ-Al2O3　catalyst　are　prepared　to　investigate　the　influence　of　carbon　and　molybdenum　precursor,　calcination　temperature,　as　well　as　the　molar　ratio　of　the　carbon　precursor　to　molybdenum　precursor　compounds　on　catalyst　microstructures　and　the　catalytic　performance.　The　microstructure　characteristics　of　the　catalysts　were　examined　with　XRD,　BET,　ICP,　SEM　and　CO-TPD.　The　performance　test　of　the　catalysts　for　syngas-to-alcohol　was　investigated　in　a　fixed-bed　reactor.　Properly　excessive　amount　of　hexamethylenetetramine　as　carbon　precursor　calcined　at　a　high　temperature　(≥700　)　favors　the　formation　of　high　crystalline　β-Mo2C　on　γ-Al2O3　carrier.　Catalysts　with　different　amount　of　Mo　were　prepared　to　study　the　effect　of　active　metal　loading　on　microstructure　and　catalytic　performance.　The　results　show　that　the　particle　size　of　β-Mo2C　and　CO　dissociation　adsorption　capacity,　as　well　as　the　CO　conversion　increases　with　raised　Mo　loading.　The　selectivity　of　all　higher　alcohols　reached　the　maximum　when　25　%　of　Mo　was　loaded.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.