Com. activated C was pretreated by partial gasification in CO(2), or oxidn. with HNO(3) or H(2)O(2) and used as a template for prepn. of Fe-Cr-Cu catalysts from EtOH solns of the resp. metal nitrates. The catalysts were annealed in air at 350 degrees C for 2.5 h, studied for sp. surface and thermal decompn. of surface groups and then used for high-temp. conversion of CO with H(2)O to H(2) and CO(2) at 330-370 degrees C and 2.5 MPa. The reaction rate const. increased with increasing the conversion temp. The highest reaction rate const. was achieved when the catalyst templated with the CO(2)-pretreated activated C was used. The highest sp. surface (311 m(2)/g) was exhibited for the catalyst based on the H(2)O(2)-pretreated activated C.