Increasing　efforts　have　been　made　to　fabricate　Au/graphene　composites　due　to　the　fascinating　properties　of　both　graphene　and　gold.　Some　Au　nanoparticles　with　an　average　size　of　tens　of　nanometers　were　directly　deposited　on　reduced　graphene　oxide　(RGO),　utilizing　the　residual　oxy-functional　groups　as　the　＂hitching　post＂　of　the　nanoparticles.　Some　functional　groups,　such　as　amino　and　thiol,　were　attached　to　the　surface　of　the　graphene　in　order　to　stabilize　gold　nanoparticles　with　a　smaller　particle　size　(<5　nm　in　general).　Unfortunately,　most　of　these　strategies　result　in　Au　particles　with　limited　exposed　atoms,　which　is　certainly　a　disadvantage　for　their　application,　such　as　catalysis.　Introduction　of　nitrogen　heteroatoms　into　the　framework　of　graphene　can　not　only　modulate　the　electronic　structure,　but　also　change　the　surface　properties　of　the　graphene.　In　this　work,　naked　Au　nanoparticles　with　an　average　size　of　about　2-4　nm　were　fabricated　on　nitrogen-doped　graphene　nanosheets　(NG)　via　the　direct　simple　reduction　method.　The　Au/NG　nanocomposites　were　characterized　by　XRD,　XPS,　TEM,　AFM　and　Raman.　It　was　revealed　that　the　nitrogen　atoms　doped　in　NG,　rather　than　defects　or　oxygen　moieties,　play　an　essential　role　in　stabilizing　Au　NPs.　It　was　also　found　that　the　initial　reaction　rate　of　benzyl　alcohol　oxidation　over　the　Au/NG　catalyst　is　about　ten　fold　higher　than　that　over　Au/graphene　catalysts.　Our　findings　may　provide　a　clue　of　nitrogen　incorporation　to　stabilize　uncapped　noble　metal　nanoparticles　on　graphene　or　other　inorganic　oxide　supports,　such　as　TiO2.　©　2012　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.