This work investigated the production of hydrogen from reforming a diesel surrogate by using doped ceria-supported Ni catalysts. The catalysts were synthesized from a metallo-organic network (MON) comprising metal ions of interest. Pyrolyzing the MON and subsequent calcining the oxide mixture produced from the pyrolysis gave rise to a composite of a doped ceria [denoted by Ce1-(x+y)LaxGdy,x+y <= 0.2] and NiO with a substantial degree of mixing. The structural characterizations (XRD and TPR) revealed a minor doping level of La3+ in the supported Ni domains, which was formed through an interfacial oxide phase containing both metal ions. A catalyst, Ni/Ce1-(x+y)LaxGdy, was generated from a respective composite through in situ reducing of NiO in the system of autothermal reforming of a diesel surrogate. The fuel comprised n-dodecane, 10 wt% naphthalene and 100 ppm sulfur (from thiophene). Amid the various catalysts investigated, Ni/Ce0.9La0.1 is most effective in fuel conversion, hydrogen yield and stability against coking and sulfur poisoning. They are superior over the corresponding outcomes of the impregnation catalyst counterpart. This large enhancement is attributed to the unique pyrolyzing course of MON precursor, leading to highly dispersed La3+-doped Ni nano catalytic sites on the Ce0.9La0.1 support ultimately. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.