Biomass pyrolysis is an attractive route for renewable fuel and chemical production but it results in a complex mixture of multifunctional oxygenates. Selective deoxygenation reactions are critical to upgrading of these compounds. Using bimetallic catalysts containing a hydrogenation metal and oxophilic metal modifier have shown promising selectivity for these reactions. We are using a combination of surface science techniques as well as heterogeneous catalysis studies to better understand this bimetallic system to make improved materials for biomass upgrading applications.