NOVELTY - Production of a structured catalyst involves: (a) preparing a slurry comprising one or more metal powders, including aluminum; (b) coating a metal substrate, or a mat of metal fiber or a woven metal fiber assembly, with the slurry; (c) subjecting the coated metal substrate, coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly to heat under an inert or reducing atmosphere; (d) leaching the coated metal substrate or coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly obtained in step (c) in a caustic solution.    USE - The method is useful for producing a structured catalyst used in a process for producing synthesis gas from natural gas or other hydrocarbon source, hydrodeoxygenation of pyrolysis bio-oil, hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, and Fisher-Tropsch synthesis (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method produces an intrinsically bound thin-layer skeletal catalyst-coated metal foil or fiber with relatively uniform coating thickness capable of physical manipulation into a highly active catalytic monolithic structure, without requiring separate application of an intermediate washcoat or additional catalytic agents.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of a structured catalyst involves: (a) preparing a slurry comprising one or more metal powders, including aluminum; (b) coating a metal substrate, or a mat of metal fiber or a woven metal fiber assembly, with the slurry; (c) subjecting the coated metal substrate, coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly to heat under an inert or reducing atmosphere where at least one of the one or more metal powders melts and interdiffuses into the surface of the metal substrate, or metal fiber mat or woven metal fiber assembly; (d) leaching the coated metal substrate or coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly obtained in step (c) in a caustic solution; (e) bathing the coated metal substrate, coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly obtained in step (d) in a chelating acid solution; (f) passivating the coated metal substrate, coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly obtained in step (e); and (g) optionally abrading the surface of the coated metal substrate obtained in step (f). INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) producing a structured catalyst support which involves: (a) preparing a slurry comprising one or more metal powders, including aluminum; (b) coating a metal substrate, or a metal fiber mat or a woven metal fiber assembly, with the slurry; (c) subjecting the coated metal substrate, coated metal fiber mat or coated woven metal fiber assembly to heat under an inert or reducing atmosphere where at least one of the one or more metal powders melts and interdiffuses into the surface of the metal substrate, or metal fiber mat or woven metal fiber assembly; and (d) subjecting the coated and heat treated metal substrate, metal fiber mat or woven metal fiber assembly to heat in an oxygen containing atmosphere for an additional period of time; and    (2) a process for: (a) production of synthesis gas from natural gas or other hydrocarbon source; (b) hydrodeoxygenation of pyrolysis bio-oil; or (c) hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons; in which the conversion reactor contains a structured catalyst prepared by the latter method; or a process for: (d) Fisher-Tropsch synthesis; in which the conversion reactor contains a structured catalyst made by the method above that contains iron or cobalt in its composition.