Amorphous Ni-B alloys with or without lanthanum were prepared by KBH4 reduction, characterized by ICP, BET surface area measurement, XRD, TPD, H-2 chemisorption, etc., and studied in the hydrogenation of anthraquinone. The addition of lanthanum chloride in the preparation procedure leads to the incorporation of lanthanum oxide and the decrease of Ni:B ratio in the Ni-B amorphous alloy. In comparison with Ni-B, the presence of lanthanum oxide in the amorphous alloy lead to higher BET area, higher extents of H-2 chemisorption and desorption, the shift of H-2 desorption peaks to lower temperatures, and higher TOF and reaction rate in the hydrogenation of anthraquinone. The effects of lanthanum were attributed to its dispersion of Ni, leading to much more active centers and the donation of electrons to Ni and therefore activating the adsorbed hydrogen and weakening the binding energy between nickel and hydrogen. As a result, both TOF and the reaction rate in the hydrogenation of anthraquinone were increased with the addition of lanthanum.