Gold nanoparticles (NPs) with mean diameters of around 2 nm could be deposited directly onto a biopolymer, cellulose, by the solid grinding method with volatile dimethyl Au(III)acetylacetonate followed by the reduction with H-2. Gold NPs on cellulose showed appreciably high catalytic activity with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 11 s(-1) for the aerobic oxidation of glucose to produce sodium gluconate at 60 degrees C and at pH 9.5. The catalytic activity of Au/cellulose was comparable to that of Au/C provided the size of the Au particles was similar. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.