The catalytic activity of palladium has been verified in Ag/Pd colloids for two different nitroarenes, 2-amino,5-nitropyridine (ANP) and 4-nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA). Palladium, deposited as nanoclusters onto the silver core, can act as catalyst for the ligands, while silver ensures the SERS enhancement, which is necessary to detect the Raman spectra of the adsorbates. The SERS measurements show that the nitrogroup of ANP is reduced to aminogroup in Ag/Pd colloids, whereas, in the case of PNBA, the azo-derivative is obtained as stable product. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.