Ruthenium-based catalysts were prepared by a biogenic method via Cacumen Platycladi leaf extract and tested in the liquid phase hydrogenation of maleic anhydride to the corresponding succinic anhydride. The reaction conditions were optimized by varying the Ru loading, reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure, reaction time and organic solvents to achieve the superb catalytic performance. Reusability tests and comparison with commercial catalysts were also studied on the biosynthesized Ru-based catalysts. Furthermore, a variety of characterization techniques, such as TEM, HRTEM, EDS and XPS showed the effectively introduction of ruthenium nanoparticles into the carbon supports. The analyses of FTIR and TG confirmed that the plant extract served as both reducing and protecting agents.. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.