Hydrodeoxygenation　(HDO)　is　one　of　the　promising　catalytic　routes　for　converting　biomass　derived　molecules　to　high　value　products.　A　key　step　of　HDO　is　the　cleavage　of　an　aromatic　C-O　bond　to　accomplish　the　deoxygenation　step,　however,　which　is　energetically　unfavorable.　Herein,　we　report　a　series　of　palladium　(Pd)-incorporated　alpha-phase　of　molybdenum　carbide　(alpha-MoC)　mesoporous　composites　for　enhanced　HDO　activity　of　a　biomass　model　molecule,　anisole.　The　catalysts,　x%Pd/alpha-MoC　(x%　is　the　molar　ratio　of　Pd/Mo),　were　investigated　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　temperature　programmed　reduction　(TPR),　temperature　programmed　desorption　(TPD),　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller　(BET),　Raman,　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS)　techniques.　Pd　is　highly　dispersed　on　alpha-MoC　when　x%　＜=　1%,　but　aggregate　to　form　nanoparticles　when　x%　=　5%.　The　x%Pd/alpha-MoC　catalysts　(x%　＜=　1%)　show　enhanced　HDO　activity　in　terms　of　turnover　frequency　(TOF)　and　apparent　activation　energy　barrier　(Ea)　compared　with　alpha-MoC　and　beta-Mo2C　catalysts.　The　TOF　of　1%Pd/alpha-MoC　catalyst　at　160　degrees　C　is　0.115　h(-1)　and　the　Ea　is　48.2　kJ/mol.　Moreover,　the　direct　cleavage　of　aromatic　C-O　bond　is　preferred　on　1%Pd/alpha-MoC　catalyst.　The　enhanced　HDO　activity　is　attributed　to　superior　H-2　dissociation　ability　by　the　highly　dispersed　Pd　sites　on　carbide.　This　work　brings　new　insights　for　rational　design　of　the　catalyst　for　selective　C-O　bond　activation.