TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The molar percentage of the metal oxide nano-powder(s), based on the moles ruthenium, is 0. The ratio of moles metal oxide(s) to moles ruthenium atoms in the one or more ruthenium precursor compounds is about 0.05:1 to about 6:1, preferably about 0.5:2 or about 0.8:1:5, most preferred about 1:1. The amount of the ruthenium atoms in the ruthenium precursor compound(s) is from about 0.25 to about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the of alumina or the alumina plus the metal oxide(s) of the nano-powder(s), preferably from about 0.5 to about 4% or from about 1 to about 3% and most preferred about 2% by weight. The molar ratio of ruthenium to polyol is about 1:700 to about 1:4000, where polyol is ethylene glycol. Preferred Parameters: The metal oxide nano-powder(s) have an average size of from about 4 nm to about 50 nm, preferably from about 5 to about 30 nm, such a about 8 to about 20 nm, more preferably from about 8 to about 13 nm. The surface area of the metal oxide nano-powder(s) is about 15 to about 250 m2/g or about 20 to about 200 m2/g or about 20 to about 150 m2/g. The pre-shaped alumina support pellets have a mean size of from about 0.2 to about 2 mm, preferably of from about 0.5 to about 1.5 mm and in particular of about 1 mm, and a pore volume of about 0.2 to about 0.7 ml/g, such as about 0.45 ml/g. The concentration of NaNO3 and/or KNO3, respectively, in the aqueous solution is about 0.1 to about 1 mol/L. The atomic ratio of Na, K, or Na+K, respectively, in the aqueous solution to ruthenium on the solid pellets is about 0.5 to about 6, preferably about 1 to about 5 or about 1 to about 3. Preferred Components: The metal oxide nano-powder(s) are selected from gamma -aluminum oxide (Al2O3), beryllium oxide (BeO), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2). The ruthenium precursor compound is selected from ruthenium chloride trihydrate (RuCl3.3H2O) and triruthenium dodecacarbonyl (Ru3 (CO)12). Preferred Condition: The temperature at which the agitated mixture is heated, is from about 50 degrees C to about 175 degrees C. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.