A Bifunctional Catalyst is a specific set of hydrogenation catalysts containing Lewis acid and Lewis base that uses the low molecular weight component reaction, typically polar addition reactions of pronucleophiles and electrophiles to convert simple low cost into high value materials. The Bifunctional Catalyst was investigated for the direct synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME) from syngas with 89% CO conversion and 99% selectivity of dimethyl ether.