A series of Pt-based intermetallic compounds supported on silica (PtmMn/SiO2: M = Co, Ge, Sn, TI and Zn) were prepared by conventional impregnation and chemical vapor deposition. Catalytic properties of the intermetallic compounds in dehydrogenation of cyclohexane and n-butane were investigated. Pt3Sn/SiO2 and PtGe/SiO2 showed higher yields of benzene and butenes than Pt/SiO2 and other intermetallic catalysts (Pt3Zn, Pt3Co, PtCo, Pt3Tl2 and PtSn). Especially in n-butane dehydrogenation, Pt3Sn/SiO2 exhibited much higher butenes yield than other intermetallic catalysts and Pt/SiO2. However, a similar Pt-Sn intermetallic catalyst, PtSn/SiO2, showed very poor yields in both reactions. Pt3Sn and PtSn, Pt3Sn was the most active species in the n-butane dehydrogenation among several Pt-Sn bimetal phases, Pt1-xSnx solid solution (0 < x < 0.3). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.