Herein we report, for the first time, the preparation and characterization of water soluble rhodium(0) nanoclusters stabilized by laurate (dodecanoate) anion and their catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of ammonia-borane. The water soluble laurate-stabilized rhodium(0) nanoclusters were prepared from the reduction of rhodium(III) chloride by dimethylamine-borane in solution containing sodium laurate at room temperature. The water soluble laurate-stabilized rhodium(0) nanoclusters in average size of 5.2 +/-2.7 nm could be isolated from the reaction solution and characterized by using UV-vis, TEM, XPS, XRD and FTIR spectroscopic methods. Catalytic activity of rhodium(0) nanoclusters was tested in the hydrolysis of ammonia-borane. They show exceptional catalytic activity and unprecedented catalytic lifetime in this reaction. They provide a TOF value of 200 mol H-2/mol Rh min and 80,000 turnovers in the hydrolysis of ammonia-borane in air at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.