Methanol is used as a common solvent, cost-effective reagent, and sustainable feedstock for value-added chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and materials. Among the various applications, the utilization of methanol as a C1 source for the formation of carbon–carbon, carbon–nitrogen, and carbon–oxygen bonds continues to be important in organic synthesis and drug discovery. In particular, the synthesis of C-, N-, and O-methylated products is of central interest because these motifs are found in a large number of natural products as well as fine and bulk chemicals. In this Minireview, we summarize the utilization of methanol as a C1 source in methylation, methoxylation, formylation, methoxycarbonylation, and oxidative methyl ester formation reactions. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim