This review intends to summarize the major achievements in the application of amorphous alloys as precursors of catalyst materials. This non-traditional catalyst preparation method may provide supported catalysts with novel chemical and structural properties. Selected examples for both glassy alloy precursors and those fabricated by mechanochemistry include CO oxidation over binary and ternary alloys, dehydrogenation over Cu-M (M = Ti, Zr or Hf), one-step synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone, and selective hydrogenation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Ni alloys for methanation developed for the project to solve global warming by recycling carbon dioxide are also discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.