Enhancing the selectivity to unsaturated alcohols for the hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes is of great importance and challenge. Herein, Pt-SnOx@ZIF-8 catalysts with combined synergetic and steric effects were designed for the hydrogenation of 2-pentenal. The selectivity to unsaturated alcohol was enhanced from 4.3% to 61.5% by the synergetic effect between SnOx and Pt active sites and was further enhanced to 80.9% by the steric effect of ZIF-8. In situ FTIR was used to investigate the surface reaction mode over the present catalysts. The results showed that SnOx acted as electrophilic sites for the adsorption and activation of the C=O bond and the apertures of ZIF-8 oriented the C=O adsorption on the active sites. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.