Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were deposited directly onto ion-exchange resins by reducing HAuCl4 or. Au(en)(2)Cl-3 (en = ethylenediamine) with NaBH4 or with surface amine and ammonium groups in anion-exchange resins. Catalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose and of 1-phenylethanol with molecular oxygen was more greatly influenced by the nature of polymer supports than by the size of Au NPs and increased in the order of the basicity of ion-exchange resins. Strongly basic anion-exchange resins such as quaternary ammonium salt (-N+Me3) functionalized resin exhibited a TOF (the reaction rate per loaded Au) as high as 27,000 h(-1) (7.5 s(-1)) for glucose oxidation at 60 degrees C and at pH 9.5. For 1-phenylethanol under base-free conditions, a TOF of 60 h(-1) was obtained at 60 degrees C, indicating that anion-exchange resins worked as solid bases. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.