The liquid-phase hydrogenation of 1-heptyne over Pd-Au/TiO2 catalysts prepared by the combination of incipient wetness impregnation and deposition-precipitation

► Pd-Au/TiO2 were prepared with either DP Au first followed by IM Pd or vice versa. ► Changes in the state of Pd dispersion (lower or higher) depended on the method. ► DP of Au on Pd/TiO2 resulted in small Au-Pd alloy particles. ► Au acted as an electronic promoter for Pd, which promoted 1-heptene hydrogenation. ► Heptene hydrogenation was more sensitive to electronic effect than that of heptyne.