(DE4443705-A1)      Prodn. of tenside-stabilised colloids (I) of mono- and bimetals of Gps. VIII and Ib having particle sizes of 1-10 nm, comprises: (a) reacting metal salt with chemical redn. agents (II) in the presence of strongly hydrophilic tensides (III); (b) opt. with addn. of alkali carbonates and/or ammonium chloride; and (c) isolating the precursors from the solns. at greater than 100 mg atom metal/l. (II) are e.g. hydrides, hydrogen or alkali formates. (III) are amphiphilic betaines, cationic tensides, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, polyoxyethylene-carbohydrate-fatty alkylesters and/or anionic tensides and/or amphiphilic sugar tensides. The reaction is at 0-100 C normal pressure in tetrahydrofuran (THF), alcohols or water. (I) are characterised by a surface area coverage of (III). Also claimed are carrier fixed heterogeneous metal colloid catalyst contg. the above materials.    USE -   (I) are useful for prodn. of metal colloid-heterogeneous catalysts by adsorption from aq. soln. onto inorganic or organic carrier materials (claimed). Platinum-activated carbon, palladium-carbon and palladium/platinum-carbon catalysts obtd. as above are useful for partial oxidn. of prim. alcohol functionalities in carbohydrates (claimed). Palladium colloid-activated-carbon and palladium-colloid-calcium carbonate catalysts are useful for selective cis-hydrogenation of -C=C- (claimed). Ruthenium-lanthanoid oxide-heterogeneous catalysts are useful for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene (claimed). The catalysts are also useful as electrocatalysts for fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The prods. are long-term stable in water and have solubilities as high as 450 mg atom metal/l water (in examples) and the process is economical, compared to traditional in-situ methods.    (EP796147-B1)      Prodn. of tenside-stabilised colloids (I) of mono- and bimetals of Gps. VIII and Ib having particle sizes of 1-10 nm, comprises: (a) reacting metal salt with chemical redn. agents (II) in the presence of strongly hydrophilic tensides (III); (b) opt. with addn. of alkali carbonates and/or ammonium chloride; and (c) isolating the precursors from the solns. at greater than 100 mg atom metal/l. (II) are e.g. hydrides, hydrogen or alkali formates. (III) are amphiphilic betaines, cationic tensides, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, polyoxyethylene-carbohydrate-fatty alkylesters and/or anionic tensides and/or amphiphilic sugar tensides. The reaction is at 0-100 C normal pressure in tetrahydrofuran (THF), alcohols or water. (I) are characterised by a surface area coverage of (III). Also claimed are carrier fixed heterogeneous metal colloid catalyst contg. the above materials.    USE -   (I) are useful for prodn. of metal colloid-heterogeneous catalysts by adsorption from aq. soln. onto inorganic or organic carrier materials (claimed). Platinum-activated carbon, palladium-carbon and palladium/platinum-carbon catalysts obtd. as above are useful for partial oxidn. of prim. alcohol functionalities in carbohydrates (claimed). Palladium colloid-activated-carbon and palladium-colloid-calcium carbonate catalysts are useful for selective cis-hydrogenation of -C=C- (claimed). Ruthenium-lanthanoid oxide-heterogeneous catalysts are useful for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene (claimed). The catalysts are also useful as electrocatalysts for fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The prods. are long-term stable in water and have solubilities as high as 450 mg atom metal/l water (in examples) and the process is economical, compared to traditional in-situ methods.    (US6090746-A)      Prodn. of tenside-stabilised colloids (I) of mono- and bimetals of Gps. VIII and Ib having particle sizes of 1-10 nm, comprises: (a) reacting metal salt with chemical redn. agents (II) in the presence of strongly hydrophilic tensides (III); (b) opt. with addn. of alkali carbonates and/or ammonium chloride; and (c) isolating the precursors from the solns. at greater than 100 mg atom metal/l. (II) are e.g. hydrides, hydrogen or alkali formates. (III) are amphiphilic betaines, cationic tensides, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, polyoxyethylene-carbohydrate-fatty alkylesters and/or anionic tensides and/or amphiphilic sugar tensides. The reaction is at 0-100 C normal pressure in tetrahydrofuran (THF), alcohols or water. (I) are characterised by a surface area coverage of (III). Also claimed are carrier fixed heterogeneous metal colloid catalyst contg. the above materials.    USE -   (I) are useful for prodn. of metal colloid-heterogeneous catalysts by adsorption from aq. soln. onto inorganic or organic carrier materials (claimed). Platinum-activated carbon, palladium-carbon and palladium/platinum-carbon catalysts obtd. as above are useful for partial oxidn. of prim. alcohol functionalities in carbohydrates (claimed). Palladium colloid-activated-carbon and palladium-colloid-calcium carbonate catalysts are useful for selective cis-hydrogenation of -C=C- (claimed). Ruthenium-lanthanoid oxide-heterogeneous catalysts are useful for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene (claimed). The catalysts are also useful as electrocatalysts for fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The prods. are long-term stable in water and have solubilities as high as 450 mg atom metal/l water (in examples) and the process is economical, compared to traditional in-situ methods.