Freshly prepared nano NiO, NiO supported HAP, TiO2, ZrO2 and gamma-Al2O3 and metal ion substituted nickel oxide (Ni(1-x)MxO, M = Co, Cu and Mn) have been tested for hydration of aromatic nitriles. Mn substituted compound of nominal composition, Ni0.7Mn0.3O was found to be the highly active catalyst. The reaction was carried out in autoclave using water as a solvent and the reaction time varied between 2 and 24h for heterocyclic cyano nitriles to methyl benzonitriles. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.