Cu-Co bi-metal catalysts derived from CuO/LaCoO3 perovskite structure were prepared by one-step citrate complexing method, and the structure evolution reaction from CuO/LaCoO3 to Cu-Co2C/La2O2CO3 under H2 pretreatment was investigated by techniques of XRD, TPR and TEM. The results suggest that a much higher dispersion of copper significantly enhanced the reduction of cobalt, and a stronger interaction between copper and cobalt ions in LaCoO3 particles led to the formation of bi-metallic Cu-Co particles in the reduced catalysts and the enrichment of Co on the surface of bimetallic particles. The prepared catalysts were highly active and selective for the alcohol synthesis from syngas due to the presence of copper-modified Co2 C species.