This contribution describes a non-aqueous, molecular precursor approach to the preparation of mixed-element oxides, which allows a degree of molecular-level control over the nanostructure of the resulting materials. This approach, referred to as the thermolytic molecular precursor method, has been used to obtain highly dispersed mixed-element oxide materials. In some cases, this methodology provides heterogeneous catalysts which possess superior properties relative to catalysts with the same composition, but prepared by traditional aqueous methods. It has also been found that certain molecular precursors are useful for introduction of surface-bound catalytic species. With this method, multicomponent molecular precursors may be used to produce porous materials with nano-sized voids. This affords mixed-oxide materials with a homogeneous dispersion of metal atoms throughout the inorganic framework walls of a mesoporous material. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.