SiO2-immobilized Eu and Yb catalysts (=Si-O-Ln-NH2) obtained by the reaction of surface hydroxyl groups on SiO2 with lanthanide metals dissolved in liquid ammonia are active for the partial liquid-phase hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene when the reaction was carried out at 423-483 K with hydrogen pressures of 1-5 MPa. Interestingly, only divalent amides are catalytically effective for the partial hydrogenation of benzene.