The catalytic properties of zirconia modified with different amounts of tungstate anions in the hydroisomerization of n-heptane and its mixtures with benzene or toluene have been studied. It has been found that at a low temperature of 170 degrees C, the yield of isoheptanes reaches 62.8% with a fairly high selectivity of 87.6% on the Pt/WO42-/ZrO2 catalyst prepared by impregnation to contain 17.6 mol % tungstate anions. Under the same conditions, the yield of isoheptanes on a sulfated Pt/SO42-/ZrO2 catalyst is as low as 14.0% with a selectivity of 20.3%. The hydroisomerization process effectively occurs on the tungstated catalyst in the presence of benzene or toluene.