Environmentally friendly, energy efficient methods for making hydrocarbons, including oxygen containing hydrocarbons, linear or branched polymers, oligomers, waxes, small hydrocarbon molecules, fuels, coatings and starting materials/reactants to be used for making other hydrocarbons. A C1 carbon source, such as coal, natural gas, petroleum or biomass (including non-food biomass), is converted to the desired hydrocarbon. The reaction can be run in water, at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure. In some embodiments, the method comprises combining a) a C1 carbon source; b) water; c) an alkaline agent; and d) an alkyl Lewis acid in an amount effective to initiate or catalyze reaction of the components to form the hydrocarbon.