The surface modification of gold electrodes with platinum and the electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol on Pt-modified Au electrodes are investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Platinum modification is performed by the electrochemical deposition of platinum on polycrystalline gold electrodes, and the Pt-modified Au electrodes with different amount of the deposited platinum are used for the ethylene glycol oxidation in alkaline and acidic solutions. It is shown that oxidation potential for the ethylene glycol oxidation on the Pt-modified Au electrodes shifts significantly negative compared with that on Au electrodes, nearly same oxidation potentials as that on Pt electrodes are observed, and peak current density of the ethylene glycol oxidation is dependent on the amounts of the deposited platinum on gold surface, much higher peak current densities than that on Au and Pt electrodes can be obtained. The low oxidation potential and high peak current density indicate the enhanced reactivity of Au electrodes by the platinum modification. The characteristics of the Pt-modified Au electrodes are found to be similar to that of Pt electrodes, and the reactivity of the Pt-modified Au electrodes is mainly attributed to the deposited platinum. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.