The palladium complex of the molecular complex of poly(4-vinylpyridine) with acetic acid(PVP/HAc-Pd) was prepared. Its catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene was found much higher than that of the corresponding palladium complex of poly(4-vinylpyridine). In the presence of a strong inorganic alkali, especially potassium hydroxide, the catalytic activity is greatly improved. The suitable hydrogenation condition for PVP/HAc-Pd is to use 0.1 mol/L ethanol solution of potassium hydroxide as the hydrogenation medium and the hydrogenation is carried out at 45 ℃.