In view of a possible use as anode materials for low-temperature fuel cells, the electro catalytic activity of Pt-Sn catalysts for methanol and ethanol oxidation has been widely investigated. This short review examines the effects of Pt-Sn structural characteristics, such as degree of alloying and Sn oxidation state, depending on the synthesis method, on the electro catalytic activity for methanol and ethanol oxidation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.