Ru nanoparticles stabilised by PPh3 are efficient catalysts for hydrogenation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing 2–4 rings under mild reaction conditions. These compounds were partially hydrogenated with good to excellent selectivities just by optimizing the reaction conditions. The influence of the nature of substituents present in different positions of naphthalene on the selectivity of hydrogenation was also studied. Hydrogenation of products containing substituents at position 1 is slower than that of products containing substituents at position 2. In all cases, hydrogenation takes place mainly on the less substituted ring.