FIELD: catalysts for organic syntheses. SUBSTANCE: fresh gold-palladium catalyst is reduced to palladium and gold metals and heated at elevated temperature in presence of an oxidant, for example, oxygen. Oxidant is then replaced by an inert gas, for example, nitrogen, and catalyst is once more heated to a temperature as high as 500 C in presence of a reducing agent, for example, hydrogen or ethylene. EFFECT: improved selectivity and yield. 13 cl, 1 tbl
