By pyrolyzing hybrid precursor of poly o-phenylenediamine (oPD), melamine and iron in an Ar atmosphere, a doped carbon catalyst, Fe/oPD-Mela, with high surface area, high pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen content, is prepared successfully. This catalyst exhibit high performance towards the oxygen reduction in both alkaline and acid mediums; actually its activity surpassed that of commercial Pt/C catalyst in an alkaline medium. In 0.1 M KOH, the half-wave potential is high up to 0.91V, which is about 50 mV higher than that of Pt/C, and the current density at 0.90V is about 2.4 times to that of the Pt/C catalyst. And in an acid medium, its activity approaches that of a Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, this catalyst also showed high stability and impressive immunity towards methanol. The probable roles of added iron and melamine are investigated intensively; both of them are playing an important role in the ORR activity of Fe/oPD-Mela. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.