The catalyst of ruthenium (Ru) on a new class of NiO-modified TiO2 support material, that is, Ru/(NiO-TiO2) was employed especially for selective hydrogenation of D-glucose to D-sorbitol. The modification of the TiO2 support was carried out with a nickel precursor by a simple impregnation method. After calcinations, the stable NiO-modified TiO2 support was re-impregnated with ruthenium (III) chloride hydrate aqueous solution. An additive effect of NiO in its corresponding catalyst of ruthenium on a NiO-modified TiO2 support exhibits the enhancement in the selectivity to D-sorbitol by minimizing the D-fructose and D-mannitol. To develop our understanding for the activity of the catalysts, the hydrogenation of D-glucose was investigated with the effect of (1.0 wt.% and 5.0 wt.%) ruthenium loading and (2.0-10 wt.%) NiO loading followed by the pretreatment of the catalysts. The reaction condition was optimized by varying the concentrations of D-glucose (from 10 to 30 wt.%) and temperatures (from 90 degrees C to 120 degrees C) to reach up to the highest product selectivity to D-sorbitol. These catalysts were characterized by using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and CO chemisorption. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.