Palladium(II) acetate has been anchored onto a copolymer support containing pyridyl and carboxyl groups. XPS studies showed the Pd 3d binding energies for the recovered catalyst to be less by 1 eV after being used in hydrogenation studies. However, x-ray studies and a chemical test based on KCN treatment failed to reveal any palladium oxide or palladium metal formation in the recovered catalyst. It is presumed that an acetate ligand is lost during hydrogenation, which could be the reason for the lowering of the palladium 3d binding energies in the recovered catalyst. Results of investigations of the hydrogenation of olefins and selectivity of the catalyst toward the hydrogenation of dienes and alkynes are presented. The loss of palladium due to leaching under the reaction conditions employed was found to be very low (< 1 %/cycle). © 1993, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.