Process for hydrogenating organic functions

A process comprising:

• preparing a catalyst comprising at least one support, at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic table and at least one additional element M selected from the group consisting of germanium, tin, lead, rhenium, gallium, indium, gold, silver and thallium, wherein said additional element M is in the form of at least one water-soluble organometallic compound containing at least one carbon-M bond, the preparation of said catalyst comprising introducing an aqueous solution of said organometallic compound into said support, and
• contacting said catalyst in a dried, calcined and reduced form with an organic compound containing at least one function selected from an aldehyde, ketone, ester, acid or nitro function and/or containing an aromatic group, in the presence of said hydrogen so as to hydrogenate said organic compound.