A catalyst, Pd/B(OH)(3), based on the cheap and environmentally friendly support, was synthesized by using the impregnation method with the aim of investigating the Lewis acid effect on hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis reactions. The sample was reduced at 353K under hydrogen flowing and characterized by various physico-chemical techniques, such as BET, TPR, XRD, TEM, FESEM and XPS. Its catalytic performance, in hydrogenation reactions of carbonyls and hydrogenolysis of aromatic alcohols, carried out at 0.1 MPa H-2 pressure and 323K, was investigated. It was demonstrated that Pd/B(OH)(3) is active using cyclohexane as solvent and the reactivity depends on the steric hindrance of the substrate. Conversely, in ethanol, boric acid dissolves and does not influence catalytic reactions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.