NOVELTY - A core-shell nanoparticulate composition (C1) comprises late-transition-metal core encapsulated by metal oxide shell, the shell comprising oxide of a metal of Group 3, 4, or 5.    USE - In fuel cell; for catalyzing a water-gas shift reaction; for catalyzing a methanol reforming reaction; for catalyzing the combustion of a hydrocarbon such as methane (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The structures deposited as single units on the hydrophobic alumina act as supramolecular catalysts. In these structures, the synergy between Pd and CeO2 produces active sites that are equally active in all of the samples, though in different numbers. The supramolecular approach is valuable even for three-way catalysts, where the special properties could be important for improving the activity at low oxygen concentrations, for enhanced stability against sintering, and for protection against poisoning through the core-shell configuration.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) composition comprising core-shell nanoparticles of the composition (C1), the nanoparticles displayed on a metal oxide support, the core-shell nanoparticles comprising a Pt core encapsulated by a metal oxide shell;    (2) composition comprising core-shell nanoparticles of the composition (C1), the nanoparticles displayed on a silica intermediate layer that is attached to a metal oxide support, or the nanoparticles displayed as a substantially single layer superposed on metal oxide support;    (3) method (m1) involving reducing Pt(II) salt in the presence of excess 6-18C-alkylamine with a lithium alkylborohydride to form an alkylamine-coated Pt metal nanoparticle; contacting the alkylamine-coated Pt metal nanoparticle with a linking compound having formula HS-R1-R2; to form a Pt metal nanoparticle coated with linking compound; and contacting the Pt metal nanoparticle coated with linking compound with at least one metal alkoxide to form metal alkoxide superposed on Pt metal nanoparticle core;    (4) method (m2) involving contacting hydrophilic metal oxide support with an organosilane to form a hydrophobic metal oxide support; and contacting the hydrophobic metal oxide support with core-shell nanoparticles, each nanoparticle comprising a late-transition-metal core encapsulated by a shell comprising metal alkoxide to form a structure comprising core-shell nanoparticles displayed on a siloxane intermediate layer that is attached to a metal oxide support;    (5) method (m3) for catalyzing a water-gas shift reaction involving contacting H2O and CO with core-shell nanoparticles, each nanoparticle comprising late-transition-metal core encapsulated by metal oxide shell and displayed on a silica intermediate layer that is attached to a metal oxide support, or displayed as single layer superposed on metal oxide support, under conditions sufficient to form H2 and CO2;    (6) method (m4) for catalyzing a methanol reforming reaction involving contacting H2O and CH3OH with core-shell nanoparticles, each comprising a late-transition-metal core encapsulated by metal oxide shell, the core-shell nanoparticles being displayed on a silica intermediate layer that is attached to a metal oxide support, or in the presence of O2, displayed as single layer superposed on metal oxide support;    (7) method for catalyzing the combustion of a hydrocarbon involving contacting the hydrocarbon with core-shell nanoparticles in the presence of O2, each nanoparticle comprising a late-transition-metal core encapsulated by a metal oxide shell, the core-shell nanoparticles displayed on a silica intermediate layer that is attached to a metal oxide support, or in the presence of O2, displayed as single layer superposed on metal oxide support.    R1=3-18C;    R2=carboxylic acid or alcohol.