A series of highly porous metal organic framework ZIF-8 supported Au nanoparticles materials with different Au particle size were prepared through one-pot method at room temperature. The obtained heterogeneous catalysts were comprehensively characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, N-2 adsorption, FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy. The intact crystallinity of ZIF-8 was found before and after the Au loading, and Au nanoparticles with different particle size were found homogeneously dispersed in ZIF-8. The obtained Au catalysts exhibited high activity and stability for hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol, with excellent selectivity to aminophenol. It had been shown that the Au particle size played important roles in the activity. The as-prepared catalysts exhibit relatively excellent activity and selectivity in the reduction of p-nitrobenzonitrile to p-aminobenzonitrile, which is benefit from the high selectivity of Au particles. Graphic