Bifunctional catalysts containing 1-4 wt.% of Ni and Pt in a metallic form supported in an ultrastabilized HUSY zeolite were prepared by competitive ion exchange method. The catalysts were characterized by ICP and TPR techniques to obtain metal contents and conditions for the reduction steps, respectively, and evaluated in the n-hexane isomerization reaction. The Pt monometallic catalysts were more stable, active and selective in this reaction than that containing only Ni. However, it was observed that maintaining the same total metal loading (I or 2 wt.%) and varying the proportion of these metals, the Pt-Ni bimetallic catalysts containing 20-30% Pt presented higher activity in the mentioned reaction than the Pt monometallic catalyst. In addition, the bimetallic catalysts were more selective to the formation of di-branched alkanes, that is, products with higher octane number. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.