Bimetallic and monometallic catalysts including Cu and/or Fe species were prepared by a co-precipitation method and their catalytic performance was tested for the selective hydrogenation of ethyl stearate to stearyl alcohol. The bimetallic catalysts were observed to be even more active for this selective hydrogenation compared to the monometallic catalysts and their physical mixtures. With a bimetallic catalyst of Cu/Fe (4/1 in mole ratio) reduced at 200 degrees C, a selectivity to the alcohol reached to above 99% at a conversion of 97% in reaction for 4h at 230 degrees C, 3.0 MPa. Effects of composition and reduction temperature on the catalytic performance were studied and the properties of catalysts prepared under different conditions were examined by XRD, TPR, N-2 physisorption, and SEM. The relationship of the performance with the properties of the catalysts was discussed, along with the conditions under which synergistic effects of Cu and Fe species appeared and caused the enhancement of the catalytic performance. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.