Ultrafine dendrimer-templated Ag-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles with various metal compositions have been prepared successfully using silver(I)-bis(oxalato)palladate(II) complex. The use of an oxalate complex, in which two metal ions exist in one complex, is found to be effective in preventing unfavorable silver halide formation and thus suitable for the formation of Ag-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.