Homo and hetero-dinuclear metal complexes were used as precursors to model, supported, mixed and non-mixed metal oxide catalysts. These metal complexes contained either Co(II) pairs, Ni(II) pairs, or the mixed pair: Co(II)-Ni(II) having the (dba) ligands. Another mixed pair, Cu(II)-Co(II) was prepared having the (daaen) ligand. Calcination and reduction of precursor supported on silica (Cab-O-Sil (TM)) yielded catalysts that were active for the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. In a batch reactor, both Ni-2(dba)(2)/SiO2 and NiCo(dba)(2)/SiO (2)catalyst gave CH4 as the major product; whereas, the CuCo(daaen)/SiO2 catalyst produced carbon nanotubes as the major product. The Co-2(dba)(2)/SiO2 catalyst was the most stable and active one towards the production of hydrocarbons in a batch reactor. Subsequent testing in a flow reactor revealed that the cobalt catalysts showed 99% CO conversion and 67% liquid hydrocarbon selectivity. [GRAPHICS] .